"HERA’s newsletter" Newsletter Issues

The Commission launches the Critical Medicines Alliance to help prevent and address shortages of critical medicines (29/04/2024)

HERA, working with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, has launched the Critical Medicines Alliance at the margins of the informal EPSCO Council meeting of health ministers on 24 April, as part of the actions to build a strong European Health Union.

Interview with Commissioner Stella Kyriakides (15/05/2024)

The Commissioner talked to us about the European Union's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Critical Medicines Alliance and the importance of HERA.

Launching GLOWACON: A global initiative for wastewater surveillance for public health (29/04/2024)

In cooperation with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, HERA has launched GLOWACON, the Global Consortium for Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance for Public Health, with the ultimate objective to create an international sentinel system for the early detection, prevention, and real-time monitoring of epidemic threats and outbreaks.

HERA’s first Info Days in Paris successfully engaged stakeholders (29/04/2024)

To present HERA’s core areas of activities while also showcasing success stories, HERA has kicked off a series of Info Days events tailored specifically for stakeholders across Europe.

HERA participated in the EU Open Day (29/04/2024)

HERA made its debut appearance at the Europe Day event this year, bringing its mission and priorities to the forefront.

Funding opportunities under the EU4HEALTH work programme (29/04/2024)

Are you looking for funding for your project? Have a look at upcoming and ongoing opportunities under the EU4HEALTH programme!

HERA Invest: funding research and development in the most pressing cross-border health threats (10/01/2024)

Currently, European companies find it difficult to access sufficient public and private funding for the development and scaling up of cutting-edge solutions in health and life sciences. Innovation is key to respond to priority health threats such as pathogens with high pandemic potential or resistant to antibiotics.

Durable: Delivering a Unified Research Alliance of Biomedical and public health Laboratories against Epidemics (29/04/2024)

Read about the DURABLE project - a one-stop shop for diagnostics, research, preparedness and response to current and future health threats for the benefit of citizens in the EU and worldwide.

Wastewater surveillance: how does it work and why do we need it (29/04/2024)

Are you curious to learn more about wastewater surveillance? Discover general information about the topic, as well as an overview of HERA's activities in this field.

Discover HERA’s training and exercise programme (29/04/2024)

Training and simulation exercises are key to enhance coordination and build capacity of those involved on all aspects related to medical countermeasures, as ensuring timely and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, personal protective equipment or other medical devices to all EU Member States is essential to save lives in any public health crisis.

Team Europe Mission: HERA and African Union take concrete steps to boost cooperation (30/04/2024)

In a collaborative effort to bolster health initiatives across Africa, HERA has pledged a significant support of EUR 6 million to the African Union (AU) during a Team Europe Ministerial Health Mission to Ethiopia and the AU, taking place from February 5 to 7.

EUR 12.2 million to be invested under the EU4Health program to strengthen health security in Europe (29/04/2024)

On 8 March, the Commission launched two projects in partnership with the World Health Organization through its Regional Office for Europe, to strengthen health security and preparedness against serious cross-border health threats. These include chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards.

cssr quote (10/10/2023)

Interview with Peter Piot (16/01/2024)

The COVID-19 pandemic has put science at the forefront of policymaking. The relationship between science and policy is not always an easy one though, especially when dealing with uncertainty and absence of evidence. Which lessons have we learnt?

Critical Medicines Alliance (10/10/2023)

HERA launched an open call for expression of interest to join the Critical Medicines Alliance on 16 January. The platform will focus on identifying challenges and determining the most suitable actions and tools to effectively address vulnerabilities in critical medicines, striving for optimal solutions.

HERA 2023 Conference: steering reflections for enhanced health preparedness (16/01/2024)

Recent health emergencies, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the urgent need for enhanced preparedness measures and stressed the importance of being better equipped to respond to similar challenges in the future. Is now the EU better prepared? That was the theme of the second annual conference organised by HERA in Brussels, gathering 500 participants, in person and online.

Commission steps up actions to address critical shortages of medicines and strengthen security of supply in the EU (16/01/2024)

Recent critical shortages of medicines, including certain antibiotics last winter, show the need for action to address supply challenges and to make Europe's medicine supply chains more resilient in the long run. The key goals of the Communication are to prevent and mitigate shortages at EU level, putting particular focus on the most critical medicines that need to be available at all times.

HERA secures more than 100,000 treatment courses against Mpox, smallpox and cowpox (16/01/2024)

On 23 October, HERA has signed a contract with the company Meridian Medical Technologies, LLC, to supply up to 100,080 oral treatment courses of Tecovirimat SIGA, the therapeutic against mpox, smallpox and cowpox.

Commission adopted EU4Health 2024 Work Programme with a €752.4 million funding (10/01/2024)

On 5 December 2023, the Commission adopted the 2024 EU4Health work programme, to deliver on key EU health policy priorities as part of the European Health Union. The €752.4 million budget will boost its development and provide funding to address important health-related issues across the EU.

HERA's new training and exercise opportunities (16/01/2024)

Strengthening knowledge and skills in preparedness and response related to medical countermeasures is essential to improve European preparedness and response capacity to cross-border threats to health and is one of HERA’s main tasks.

HERA and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development strengthen cooperation (16/01/2024)

HERA and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) are strengthening their cooperation on medical countermeasures to step up prevention, preparedness and response to serious cross border health threats.

HERA and CEPI facilitated Roundtable on vaccine development for outbreak, epidemic and pandemic threats (16/01/2024)

On 25 and 26 October, HERA and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) held a Roundtable on the power of collaboration to address medical countermeasures R&D for epidemic and pandemic threats.

Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2023: HERA addresses the role of Wastewater Environmental Surveillance for Pandemic Preparedness (16/01/2024)

HERA was present at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2023 in Dakar, Senegal to moderate a discussion on the key role that wastewater pathogen surveillance plays in global pandemic preparedness.

World Bio Summit 2023: HERA addresses importance of accelerating development and manufacturing of pandemic therapeutics (16/01/2024)

Laurent Muschel, the acting Head of HERA was present at the World Bio Summit 2023 in Seoul, Korea, to moderate a discussion on accelerating pandemic therapeutics development and manufacturing.