Introduction
This topic covers the health policy of the European Union: its objective, strategy and priorities, the EU institutions and agencies related to health, EU health legislation (communications, recommendations, directives), Directive 2011/24/EU and the European reference networks, and the EU Health Programme.
Health policy of the EU
Objective: to provide all people living in the Union with access to quality health services through:
- Prevention of diseases and disorders
- Promotion of a healthier lifestyle
- Protecting people from health threats, such as pandemics
Institutions and bodies of the EU related to healthcare
Important for the exam. DG stands for Director General. EU agencies are created by the European Commission; each EU country needs to have those agencies.
- European Parliament (highest institutional level)
- Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
- Council of the European Union
- Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs
- European Commission
- Healthcare (DG SANTE): a specific health commissioner and structure responsible for public healthcare and healthcare issues
- European Economic and Social Committee
- Section "Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship"
- Committee of the Regions
- Commission for Natural Resources (NAT)
- EU agencies working directly on healthcare and public health:
- Executive Agency for Consumer Health and Food
- European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
- European Medicines Agency (EMA): provides innovative therapies with centralised marketing approval so that new therapies reach citizens faster
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
- European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (OSHA)
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)