When European citizens are asked about their priorities for the next 15 years, health and medical care emerge as the number one concern,” MEP Elisabetta Gardini has told a high-level conference in Brussels.

The Italian deputy was addressing a broad base of stakeholders during the first session of the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine’s second annual conference, held in the city’s prestigious Bibliotheque Solvay on 9-10 September.

Gardini added that: “European citizens also believe that the greatest impact of science and technological innovation will be on health improvement through, for example, having tailored treatments for their conditions.

“Health-oriented policymaking must therefore become a clear priority,” the MEP insisted.

Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union and, in a speech delivered to the conference Beatrice Lorenzin, the country’s Minister of Health, said: “Many stakeholders have argued that personalised medicine is too complex for the realities of today, too costly for society to pay for and the research needed to bring the idea to life is too far away.

“We must build on our strengths to tackle the gaps that exist in bringing personalised medicine to our 500 million citizens.”

Other speakers on the first day of the forum included Alastair Kent, of Genetic Alliance, and Prof. Gordon McVie, of the European Institute of Oncology.

Kent said:  “This is crunch time for Europe. The clock is ticking for patients. But there is time. Time that allows us to put the patients at the centre of their own care but it also means prioritisation is the order of the day.

“Better health for citizens and patients is essential to Europe's prosperity. We cannot grow without healthier citizens that can contribute to the Member Sate and the EU project.”
Professor Gordon McVie said that: “Many citizens are asking: Why does Europe matter? How does Europe help us?

“In the era of personalised medicine, the EU can help in many ways. Personalised medicine starts with you and me. It’s all about empowering the patient and giving the right treatment to the right one at the right time. Sound simple? Well, it isn’t, for a variety of reasons, but the concept is already starting to revolutionise medicine and the way treatment is delivered.

He concluded: “While we are standing only at the foot of the mountain, I am sure with the cross section of stakeholders present here today will allow us to take some steps up this mountain together.”
 

Source: EAPM