Opinion: Tough but vital health-care task ahead for new commissioners

By Didier Jacqmin (pictured), EAPM Treasurer, Chair of the SPO, European Association of Urology

Later this year Europe will have a new College of Commissioners, men and women seasoned in politics and nominated by their member state.

All stakeholders in the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM) believe it is important that the people handed portfolios that affect the health agenda are aware of the potential of personalised medicine, or PM. It is also important that they take into account PM’s significance and value while acting to create a healthier and wealthier Europe for its 500 million citizens.

The health horizon is changing fast, new technologies are already transforming the way health care is delivered today but much needs to be done to secure the future for generations to come.

The new commissioners whose portfolios affect the health arena must look way beyond their five-year mandate and aim to build an EU-wide system that delivers treatment and drugs more effectively, at a faster pace, in an ethically sound manner, and is more cost-efficient while putting the patient at the centre of discussions and, therefore, decisions about his or her health care.

Europe’s population is aging and the burden upon our health systems is becoming greater. It is already clear that a one-size-fits-all model is outdated and can no longer function properly. Without quick and radical change our much-treasured health systems will become unsustainable.

EAPM firmly believes that among the many ways that the new commission can affect the necessary change and push the agenda forward is through embracing individual, personalised treatment based on the latest genome technology, the use of ‘big data’, a cross-border health policy that actually works and doesn’t disenfranchise patients through their geographical location, a rethink of how we conduct clinical trials, a faster bench-to-bedside model for getting new medicines onto the market and, crucially, more funding and incentives for research.

The above a great deal to take on board, but taken on board it clearly must be. Among other things, it is incumbent upon the new commissioners to create an environment in which PM can flourish by advice, persuasion, suggestion and if necessary legislation that will encourage and enable the member states to act as one, because no country alone can solve the looming health issues that we all face.

Health knows no borders and its issues, sooner or later, affect us all. It also walks across the portfolios of several of the incoming commissioners with briefs that include Digital Agenda, Economic and Monetary Affairs, Health and Consumer Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, plus Research, Innovation and Science as well as Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship.

The relevant commissioners will have to, respectively, cover among other issues those of big data, investment in health care, clinical trials and more, public-private partnerships and research investment, plus; of course, patient rights.

Hopefully, Europe is emerging from a downturn in the economy that led to austerity measures having a huge effect on health services in certain member states. This occurred in an EU where standards already differed widely even before the financial crisis. Aside from the undeniable moral responsibility that Europe has to its patients it is clear that a lack of investment in the aspects of health outlined above would be short-sighted at best and reckless at worst. A healthier EU will be a wealthier EU so stalling investment in this area is a false economy.

The mathematics are simple - better preventative and/or better ongoing treatment - using PM, for example – will keep patients out of expensive hospital beds, allowing them to remain in the workplace during treatment contributing to the economy rather than helping to drain it.

EAPM will be discussing the above issues and many more at its annual conference on 9-10 September in Brussels. This will bring together all stakeholders, including new MEPs, and is timed to precede the five-year term of the incoming European Commission. Only with the backing of these new commissioners can we work towards building a healthy and wealthy Europe, and one worthy of its stated goals. We wish them well.

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