EAPM: The need for change – EU to the fore on cancer, data governance and HTA

Good afternoon, health colleagues, and welcome to the second European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM) update of the week, in which we discuss the range of public health scenarios now.  The dramatic improvement in the health of the citizens of Europe over the last two centuries has transformed the continent and the lives of the people living in it. But is Europe able to seize the new benefits that science, technology and forward-thinking public-policy decisions could confer on current and future generations of Europeans writes EAPM Executive Director Dr. Denis Horgan or is it losing the will and capacity to grasp the fruits of progress?

The answer: Yes, EU policymakers makes strides forward with health – EAPM engages

As reflected in COVID 19, its science and technology are certainly not.  Health-care professionals still have a powerful sense of dedication. And research and industry function at an unprecedentedly high rhythm. What is missing from the picture is an overarching vision of how to – or even whether to - exploit all that potential.

The key issues that EAPM has engaged with this week  and in the last months were on the issues of health data, HTA and cancer, which builds on our conference of 1 July, and the EU Health Data Space which EAPM has championed over recent years. 

EAPM has been actively engaging with a number of European politicians from across the political spectrum in the European Parliament, such as from the Health Committee and the ITRE committee, regarding cancer and the EU Health Data space dossiers.

As recently as this afternoon (16 July) hence the later update, sixty-six MEPs voted in favor with six abstaining to adopt the draft report on the EU data bill. They also received a mandate to negotiate with the Council.   

This is the first bill put forward as part of the EU’s data strategy aims to foster the exchange of data in the bloc and beyond.   According to the rapporteur EPP MEP Angelika Niebler a statement.“The vision is a ‘Schengen for data’, in which data can circulate without barriers and in accordance with European rules.”

More on this below…. 

Parliament’s health committee votes through health threats report 

The European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) has backed a draft report on how to tackle cross-border health threats. 

The vote passed with 67 in favour, 10 against and one abstention. 

The report, authored by French MEP Véronique Trillet-Lenoir of Renew Europe, sets out the Parliament’s position in negotiations regarding the Commission’s proposal to strengthen Brussels’ health emergency response powers, one of the three “health union” legislative proposals. 

It still needs to be ratified in plenary. Trilogues are expected to begin in the fall. The proposal would see the creation of a EU health crisis and pandemic preparedness plan and calls for recommendations for national plans that EU agencies would review. It would also strengthen the monitoring of potential disease threats through improved information gathering and create rules for triggering responses when an EU emergency situation is called. 

MEPs back ‘ambitious’ EU Cancer Plan 

To "support, co-ordinate and complement member states’ efforts to reduce the suffering caused by cancer", that is the hope expressed by the EU Cancer Plan, and that decisive action at EU level — the first of its kind since the early 1990s — can help head off a projected 24% increase in cancer deaths by 2035. 

Such a hike would make the disease the leading killer in the EU. 

The broad strokes of the plan are in line with a previous draft dating back to December which EAPM engaged with then also.   The importance of personalized medicine has been upgraded in the final text, with nearly two pages dedicated to the topic. The plan proposes a programme in 2023, funded through Horizon Europe, to identify "priorities for research and education in personalized medicine". 

Health Technology Assessment deal at last...

After several years, Europe has reached a landmark deal to carry out health technology assessments (HTA) on new products for the bloc. HTA is a research-based tool to support decision-making in healthcare. It works by assessing the added value of new or existing health technologies – medicines, medical devices and diagnostic tools, surgical procedures, as well as measures for disease prevention, diagnosis or treatment – when compared to other health technologies. According to the proposed legislation, member states will co-operate at EU level on joint clinical assessments and joint scientific consultations on health technologies. 

The new legislation calls for the creation of a ‘Member State Co-ordination Group’, with each country represented. The collaborative undertaking will provide valuable scientific information to national health authorities when it comes to decisions about pricing and reimbursement for a health technology, the Council indicated. 

Data regulation moving forward - back to a crucial issue of public trust

There are some signs that the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted people to rethink their attitudes toward sharing personal data when it is used to manage public health and provide essential services and infrastructure. Greater willingness to provide personal data could open up new opportunities and political will to accelerate the implementation of the smart city—an urban planning strategy that harnesses technology, artificial intelligence and data analytics to run cities more efficiently and sustainably.

But although the outlook around personal data may have shifted, there is still a long way to go to secure universal buy-in from all citizens, which will be needed for the potential of smart cities to be fully realized. 

Many remain reticent about making their personal details available for analysis. In a recent in-depth, global survey by White & Case of more than 50 senior professionals and investors working in the smart city space, opinion was split almost down the middle. 

Some 40% of respondents said they are comfortable with sharing/allowing access to personal data for the purposes of developing/improving smart city technology, with 40% saying they are not comfortable doing so and 20% undecided. 

The survey also found that 42% said they would be willing to accept reduced privacy for better services, versus a third who said they wouldn't, with 24 percent undecided. There are signs that the pandemic has prompted people to rethink their attitudes toward sharing personal data. 

Securing access to large volumes of personal data from city inhabitants, and having a clear framework in place for its use sits at the center of many smart city projects. Smart cities rely on the collection and analysis of mass data from citizens, their devices, urban sensors and utilities that can be used to manage traffic, transport networks, and power supply and public services more efficiently. 

Stronger cross-border health care

European MEPs on the parliamentary health committee adopted a set of improved rules to allow the bloc to react more quickly and effectively to cross-border health threats on Tuesday (13 July). 

That includes the EU reducing its dependency on the World Health Organization when declaring a pandemic. “We want to be able to declare our own health emergencies, if needed,” said Esther de Lange MEP, vice-chairwoman of the EPP Group responsible for Economy and Environment and this dossier. “If Europe needs to act, we must not delay measures and wait for the WHO.” Other measures adopted by ENVI included making cross-border planning and staff training mandatory; simplifying joint procurement of health products; and guaranteeing continuous health care for other diseases. 

Bad news at the end: ECDC - New coronavirus cases soar in the EU

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) urges EU citizens to get vaccinated and to adhere to the recommended number of doses. This is particularly important taking into account the spread of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the need to protect citizens, especially those at risk of severe COVID-19, and the desire to open up our societies and relax restrictions. 

European vacationers had hoped this year’s northern hemisphere summer would see unhindered movement and be largely free of travel restrictions, but countries across southern Europe are now scrambling to re-impose pandemic curbs amid alarm at rising cases of the delta variant, a highly contagious coronavirus strain first detected in India. Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta were among the first countries to start reopening earlier this year but now they are tightening entry restrictions on vacationers who have not received both jabs. 

Abruptly announced restrictions are also adding to the woes to the continent’s airline, tourist and hospitality industries. They had been harboring hopes of a strong business rebound the next couple of months, enough to start repairing the severe economic damage the pandemic has inflicted on them.  

That is all from EAPM for now – don’t forget to check out our report on our latest virtual conference available here, and make sure you stay safe and well and have an excellent weekend, see you next week.

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