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European Union (EU) News

Joint Statement on the Innovative Medicines Initiative

The ERS has coordinated the official endorsement from ten medical societies and organisations expressing support for the Innovative Medicines Initiative, which will represent a unique opportunity of collaboration between public and private research groups at EU level. The ERS believes that this opportunity, if seized now, will drive research towards new and improved therapeutic approaches.

This joint statement has been sent to key decision makers of the European Parliament and the Council, urging them to swiftly adopt the proposed regulation and ensure a timely launch of this initiative in early 2008, when first calls will be opened.

Please click here to download the  Joint Statement

Green Paper on Smoke-free Environments

The European Commission adopted a Green Paper entitled "Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level". The aim of the Green Paper is to launch a broad public consultation on the best way to promote smoke-free environments throughout the European Union.

The Green Paper presents five options for discussion:
  • No change from the status quo, meaning that the EU will not engage in any new activity but will continue its current work on secondhand smoke under the different Community programmes.
  • Voluntary measures, which consist in encouraging stakeholders to adopt common voluntary guidelines at European level to make more places smoke-free.
  • Open method of coordination, meaning that Member States would be encouraged to make their smoke-free laws more convergent, without there being a need for direct harmonisation.
  • EU Commission or EU Council Recommendation.
  • Binding EU legislation.
EU institutions, Member States and civil societies are invited to submit comments until May 1, 2007. The report summarising the consultation outcomes is expected for the first half of 2007.

To view the Green Paper, please click  here.

FP7, Seventh Research Framework Programme Events

In view of the recent launch of FP7, a number of events are being organised in various countries Europe-wide and internationally. Please consult this  link to FP7 events to view a set of workshops, conferences and information days.

Health groups unite to condemn BAT event on social reporting in the European Parliament

Brussels, January 10, 2007Read the full press release 
Some of Europe's leading health organisations (the Smokefree Partnership, the Comité National Contre le Tabagisme, the European Heart Network, the European Public Health Alliance and the European Cancer Leagues) published today a press release criticising a meeting organised by British American Tobacco on social reporting.

The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: a report of the Surgeon General

U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona today issued a comprehensive scientific report which concludes that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25-30% and lung cancer by 20-30%. The finding is of major public health concern due to the fact that nearly half of all nonsmoking Americans are still regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.

The report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, found that even brief secondhand smoke exposure can cause immediate harm. The report suggests that the only way to protect nonsmokers from the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke is to eliminate smoking indoors.

The full report, as well as press releases in English and Spanish, can be found on the  Centre for Disease Control (CDC) website.

New ethical Code for worldwide pharmaceutical marketing

The Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) announced a couple of days ago in Madrid the new, updated Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practice. The updated Code will be launched on January 1, 2007.

The new updated Code will combine the pharmaceutical marketing on a global level. Stronger and clearer guidelines worldwide regarding events, sponsorship and other types of pharmaceutical marketing will result in better benefits for the patient.

IFPMA Director General Dr. Harvey E. Bale said:
"The revised Code, which enters into force in January 2007, reflects the global pharmaceutical industry's commitment to ethical marketing practices that are intended to benefit patients and enhance the practice of medicine. The IFPMA Code is an important benchmark for the industry worldwide, because it applies to IFPMA members in all countries with no established local country Code. With clearer and stricter provisions in the new IFPMA Code, we will ensure that local code standards are strong and effective."
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