Launch of the Research Strategy of the European Joint Programming Initiative in Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Speech from Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science.

Piecing together a genetic puzzle

Alcohol and cancer the forgotten link

4th of February marked the World Cancer Day, this disease is the leading cause of death in several European countries. Nearly 25 years after the first conclusive links between alcohol and cancer were established, awareness about the links is alarmingly low.

Early detection of common cancers

World Cancer Day - "Together it is possible"

This was the 2012 theme for World Cancer Day, reinforcing that it is only by every person, organization, and government individually doing their part that the world will be able to reduce premature deaths from cancer and other noncommunicable diseases.

Video - 7 Days: How can we combat antibiotic resistance?

Publication of the EU Health Prize for Journalists booklet

You can read all the national finalists' articles in the booklet of the 2011 edition.

Commissioner Dalli visits the European Medicines Agency in London

On the occasion of the Commissioner's visit to EMA, the European Commission is launching a video to explain to citizens the system of authorisation for all medicines circulating in the European Union.

European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI) launched on 1st February 2012

Better protection of public health: European Medicines Agency counts down to introduction of new pharmacovigilance legislation

EU Health Prize for Journalists: Mateja Grošelj won 3rd prize!

The 3rd prize went to Mateja Grošelj for her article "From Lojze to Ludvika" on breast cancer, published in the Vecer Weekly newspaper.

EU Health Prize for Journalists: Rita Makarész won 2nd prize!

Rita Makarész won 2nd prize for her article on the importance of exercise in helping tackle depression. "The cheapest antidepressant", published on www.orvostkeresek.hu.

EU Health Prize for Journalists: Ben Hirschler and Kate Kelland won 1st prize!

Ben Hirschler and Kate Kelland won 1st prize for their article on antimicrobial resistance. "When the drugs don't work", published by Reuters.

Commission announces winners of the 3rd EU Health Prize for Journalists

Last night, four prizes were awarded to European journalists for the best articles on health issues. The main theme of the Prize was the 'Europe for Patients' campaign.

Study finds link between molecular signature and Alzheimer's

Scientists in Finland have discovered how a biochemical signature can potentially predict progression to Alzheimer's disease.

Video: Safe medicines for the EU (subtitled versions in 21 languages)

This short video describes the work of the European Commission to ensure the safety and quality of medicines in all EU Member States.

Video: Buying medicines online: the wrong click could be fatal (subtitled versions in 22 languages)

This clip shows that medicines bought from unregulated websites have a high chance of being falsified, counterfeit or substandard.

Neurostemcell advances stem cell therapy research

Maximising prospects for successful clinical trials of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's and Parkinson's is possible through solid cooperation between experimental and clinical researchers.

Taking the first step on the road to cancer control

The UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases opened a window of opportunity for decisive action to set poorer countries on the road towards sustainable cancer control.

EU study assesses obesity prevalence rates

Researchers believe obesity raises people's risk of suffering from chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

Linking up cancer registries: EU-funded project on track

Taking stock on the progress of an EU-funded project that aims to link up European cancer registries was the aim of a recent summit organised by the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO).

Mental Health and Human Rights – a hidden emergency

WHO has launched its QualityRights Project, which aims to improve the quality and human rights conditions in mental health and social care facilities and empower civil society organizations to advocate for the rights of people with mental and psychosocial disabilities.

EU-funded scientists uncover gene that causes spread of skin cancer

A new EU-funded study has pinpointed the specific gene that must be present before malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, can spread.

Alzheimer Europe survey shows overwhelming public support for greater investment in dementia care and research

Results of an international survey reveal that the majority of respondents in each of the five countries surveyed wish to see government spending increased both on research into treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and caring for people with this condition.

Scientists find way to design new brain drugs

A Belgian-British team of researchers has found a way to design drugs able to target specific areas of the brain.

Fighting Parkinson's with carbon nanoparticles

The study is an outcome of the NOBLESSE ('Nanotechnology, biomaterials and alternative energy source for the European Research Area (ERA))' project.

Study suggests link between early Alzheimer's disease and low body mass index (BMI)

People in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease may be more likely to have a lower body mass index according to a study published in Neurology (Monday 21 November 2011).

Health professional mobility and health systems. Evidence from 17 European countries

This publication presents research on the gaps in knowledge about the numbers, trends, impacts and policy responses to this dynamic situation, in particular in Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Antimicrobial resistance: frequently asked questions

Read the frequently asked questions about antimicrobial resistance published by WHO.

Prognostic and predictive markers in colorectal cancer: implications for clinical management

Efforts to find genetic patterns may offer the basis for identifying subgroups of colorectal cancer similar to those now used in breast cancer.

Reducing cancer: international community moves from resolution to action

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and its partners, including WHO, have developed a resolution that specifies the actions governments and societies should take to reduce preventable deaths from cancer.

Scientists investigate how genetic factors influence depression

French researchers have been investigating the amygdala, a part of the brain that is hyperactive in individuals who suffer from anxiety and depression, and have found that genetic factors have an influence on patient's cerebral activity.

Patient perspective on antimicrobial resistance – a video documentary

This year, a new video produced by Euronews in collaboration with ECDC features real life examples of the experiences of patients affected by resistant bacteria.

European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2011: ECDC releases new surveillance data and real life stories of patients with resistant bacteria

On the occasion of the 4th European Antibiotic Awareness Day, ECDC releases new European-wide surveillance data on antibiotic resistance from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net).

Long-term mental health care for people with severe mental disorders

The provision of long-term mental health care for people with severe mental disorders has been, and still is, one of the major challenges for mental health systems reform in the last decades, for various reasons.

Role of stem cells in mammary gland development

A European team of scientists has identified new populations of breast stem cells that guarantee the creation, expansion and maintenance of the diverse cell lineages of the mammary gland during pregnancy and throughout life

Commission organised journalist workshop on organ donation and transplantation

On 18th October, the European Commission organised a second journalist workshop on organ donation and transplantation in Europe. The programme, contacts, testimony and articles are available on the European Commission dedicated web-page.

ECHI - Indicators on breast, cervical and colon cancer screening updated

Minister calls for new approaches on antipsychotic drugs reduction

Last November the Department of Health set a target to reduce antipsychotic prescriptions to people with dementia by two thirds in a year.

Stress code in the spotlight

Researchers at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom have identified a specific protein generated by the brain in response to stress. Their findings could help boost our understanding of stress-related psychiatric diseases in people, particularly in knowing how the human brain deals with stress and how it eases its impact.

Women and cancer: screening and treatment save lives

One in five women in the WHO European Region will get cancer before the age of 75.

Video on patients' rights in cross-border healthcare

This video gives an overview of the EU law that clarifies the right for patients to be treated in another EU country and to be reimbursed for it.

Video on rare diseases launched

A video presenting European initiatives for rare diseases and featuring Commissioner for Health and Consumers, Mr John Dalli, was presented at the Rare Diseases Conference 2011.

Press pack - Cluster meeting of projects in the area of rare diseases (Luxembourg, 25 – 26 October 2011)

The European Commission Public Health Programme defines rare diseases as life-threatening or chronically debilitating diseases which are of such low prevalence that special combined efforts are needed to address them. The term low prevalence is later defined as generally meaning fewer than 1 in 2,000 people.

IQ rises and falls during teenage years

Teenage years are all about changes in development, hormones and stress. But that is not all. New research from the United Kingdom shows how the intelligence quotient (IQ), a score generated from one of several different standardised tests designed to assess intelligence, can either significantly rise or fall during adolescence.

Orphanet Report on rare disease research, its determinants in Europe and the way forward

Study suggests chemotherapy during pregnancy won't affect baby

Scientists in Belgium, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands have discovered that the development of the babies' mental processes as well as the normal functioning of their hearts remains intact.

Blood, tissues and organs

Second Journalist Workshop - Organ donation and transplantation Programme and list of contact points available

Global Mental Health 2011

The subjects of the papers were chosen after consultation with the Movement for Global Mental Health, an international coalition of professionals and the public that is committed to improving access to mental health care and promoting the human rights of people affected by mental illness worldwide.

Scientists say high blood pressure could raise cancer risk

Researchers in Europe have discovered that high blood pressure potentially raises the risk of developing cancer or dying from the disease.

European Medicines Agency releases qualification opinion on diagnosis of pre-dementia Alzheimer's for public consultation

The European Medicines Agency is seeking opinions from the public on a qualification opinion describing a biomarker to help identify patients who can be recruited for clinical trials of treatments for early Alzheimer's disease.

Epigenetic impact on neuropsychiatric disorders

Neuropsychiatric diseases including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are influenced by epigenetic processes, new research from the United Kingdom shows.

Self-assessed poor health could be an indicator of dementia risk

People who rate their health as poor or fair are significantly more likely to develop dementia later in life according to a study published online in Neurology

World Mental Health Day – 10 October

The time to remind ourselves and others that mental health is an important aspect of general health – a value that should not be underestimated. The workplace can be a particularly important setting to maintain good mental health through both prevention of psychosocial risks and promotion of mental health.

One in four people will require mental health care

New figures from the WHO Mental Health Atlas 2011 indicate that while the need for mental health care is large, with up to 25% of the population requiring it at some point in their lives, there is underinvestment in the sector.

Join the Council of Europe to celebrate European Day for Organ Donation & Transplantation (EODD)

The need for organ transplants is increasing worldwide. The ongoing lack of available organs has resulted in an increase in the number of patients on the waiting list.

Connection between healthy ageing and neurodegenerative disorders

An international team of researchers partially funded by the EU has uncovered new information linking healthy ageing and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.

Breast cancer: the advantage of early detection

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women both in developed and developing countries.

EUCERD Report: Health indicators for rare diseases II - Conceptual framework for monitoring quality of care

Research advances understanding of nerve cell death in Alzheimer’s

Scientists have moved forward in their understanding of how nerve cells are killed during Alzheimer’s disease, according to research published in the Journal of Neuroscience

Medical Tourism: Treatments, Markets and Health System Implications: A scoping review

International trade in health services, including its most prominent component ‘medical tourism’, has attracted a great deal of policy interest and media attention in recent years.

Delivering affordable cancer care in high-income countries

The burden of cancer is growing rapidly, and the disease is becoming a major challenge for all developed countries.

Alzheimer's Society website wins top accolade

Alzheimer's Society’s website has been named as one of the top ten health and medical online sites in 2011.

World Alzheimer's Day

Every year on 21 September Alzheimer associations across the globe unite to recognise World Alzheimer's Day and 2011 will be no exception with events taking place internationally.

Spotlight on EU-funded projects on World Alzheimer's Day

Every year on 21 September on World Alzheimer's Day, sufferers of the condition around the world are honoured and recognised in a drive to push Alzheimer's research to the top of policymaker agendas.

Building a Highly Qualified Workforce for Health

As part of the overall joint action for the EU workforce for health, the EFN together with the Polish Nurses Association, a member of EFN, and the Department of Nurses and Midwives at Polish Ministry of Health, is organising a European debate of nurses and politicians on “Building a Highly Qualified Workforce for Health”.

Global analysis of breast and cervical cancer

the article provides the first global analysis, with findings that most new cases of breast cancer and cervical cancer occurred in developing countries, and there has been a surprising rise in diagnoses of women of reproductive age.

Researchers identify two-tier system in brain tumours

Presented in the journal Cancer Cell, the study reveals that based on the anomalies of their genetic material, ependymomas of the cerebellum are classified in two distinct subgroups: group A ependymomas, and group B ependymomas. The former assume negative characteristics while the latter have a positive prognosis.

Up to 27 million people living with undiagnosed dementia worldwide, says report

Three-quarters of the estimated 36 million people with dementia worldwide do not have a formal diagnosis, according to a major new report published.

Ex-smokers are Unstoppable! Commissioner Dalli presents next steps in the

Mr Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy presents the next phase in the EU-wide "Ex-smokers are Unstoppable" campaign. The campaign is about empowering people to quit smoking by showing the benefits of life without tobacco.

Alzheimer's Society urges people to sign up to Dementia Awareness Day’s Facebook page

Alzheimer's Society is supporting a new dementia awareness event, Dementia Awareness Day (DAD), which is taking place on Saturday 17 September 2011.

Public not aware of simple steps they can take to reduce risk of dementia, according to new research study

Only one in ten people realise that taking regular exercise is one of the best ways to reduce their risk of developing dementia, according to a survey commissioned by Alzheimer’s Society and Bupa.

Touch-screen test could play role in diagnosis of dementia

The touch screen test - CANTAB - which involves a visual memory test will be trialled by a UK GP Commissioning Board. It will be made available to people aged over 50 who either self-refer to their family doctor, or who are advised to do so by a carer, with suspected Alzheimer's disease.

Organ donations: The gift of life

Despite the EU Action Plan on organ donation, there are still sharp differences in the levels of donations and successful transplants between member states. Euranet investigates the current system of organ donation and asks what can be done to improve it.

Launched the Task Force on Patient Safety

Health First Europe together with Task Force Patron MEP Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden), launched the Task Force on Patient Safety to demand more stringent recommendations for Member States with regards to the safety of patients.

More than one in ten of the world’s adult population is obese

Obesity increases the risk of developing a number of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

Securing quality cancer care: Governments must step up to the plate

The OECD recently made a cross-country analysis of how cancer care systems work in an attempt to explain variations in cancer survival in Europe.

Higher density of blood vessels could point to Alzheimer’s

A higher density of blood vessels in the brain could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease according to research published in the Public Library of Science ONE online.

Think yourself better

In oncology, the contribution of the human touch which alternative medical treatments offer, and the placebo effect they induce, can be easy to overlook.

Scientists find elusive gene responsible for rare congenital disease

A Franco-British team of researchers has discovered a mysterious gene responsible for the extremely rare congenital Grey Platelet Syndrome that causes a bleeding disease.

Unshackling progress in the care of childhood cancers

A meeting held in the run up to International Childhood Cancer Day reviewed how well we are doing to help young cancer patients.

The European Patients' Forum to coordinate an "Innovative Medicines Initative" project about patients information on pharmaceuticals

IMI-funded 'European Patients Academy on Therapeutic Innovation' aims to educate patient advocates and lay public about therapeutic innovation.

WHO Europe: New tool to help hospitals prepare for emergencies

The tool can help hospital administrators and emergency managers to respond effectively to the most likely disaster and crisis scenarios.

Study examines method for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists at The University of Manchester have discovered that measurements of brain activity could be used to predict Alzheimer’s disease in people with mild memory problems.

The European Union Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases: August Newsletter

Orphanet is the reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Orphanet’s aim is to help improve the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients with rare diseases. It publishes a bi-monthly newsletter which gives an overview of scientific and political current affairs in the field of rare diseases and orphan drugs.

Call for proposals for the Innovative Medicines Initiative

The Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking (IMI JU) is a pan-European public private partnership aiming to foster collaboration between relevant stakeholders, from large and small biopharmaceutical and healthcare companies to regulators, academia and patients.

Peptides for fighting ovarian cancer developed by EU-funded researchers

A team of German and Italian EU-funded scientists has designed peptides that can target the protein-protein interface of an enzyme that plays a key part in the DNA synthesis crucial for cancer growth.

Book published about personal experience of living with Alzheimer’s disease

Norm Mcnamara has written about his experience of living with Alzheimer’s disease in the book entitled “Me and My Alzheimer’s”. Mr McNamara said, “At the age of 50yrs old I was diagnosed with Alzheimers, I am now 53yrs old and have every intention of beating it!!