Monday, 19 May saw another event organised within the framework of the parliamentary dimension of Poland’s presidency in the Council of the European Union in the Meeting Chamber of the Sejm. This time, the Polish Parliament was the venue for debates and exchange of experiences for representatives of EU member states focusing on healthcare matters. The aim of the meeting was to develop systemic solutions aimed at strengthening cooperation on ensuring health security across Europe. Representatives of parliaments, health ministries, the European Commission and healthcare institutions talked about relevant fundamental issues. The meeting agenda focused on three issues that corresponded to the programme objectives in the area of health policy, namely drug security, children’s and youth mental health, particularly in the context
of digital addiction, and challenges linked to public health and disease prevention.
‘Health continues to be the most important challenge in terms of securing futures for European societies. A secure society is not simply armed, educated and employed. A secure society is first and foremost a healthy one, since only a healthy society will be able to defend itself, learn and work, thanks to not struggling with health issues,’ said Dorota Niedziela, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm, in her opening speech.
‘Drug security, the challenges faced by children and youth due to digital addictions and preventive medicine are all relevant today, and at the same time, they are very closely linked to the most pressing challenge the EU is currently facing – security in the broadest sense of the term,’ she pointed out.
‘Establishing the best possible foundations for healthcare is as important as any other pillar of security. Responsible disease prevention is the first step on this road. We should always keep in mind that prevention is the least costly and most effective way to improve the health of the population. Digital hygiene, promoting healthy lifestyles, fighting against obesity, alcohol abuse and smoking are some of the measures that will eliminate many of the pathways leading to the prevalence of chronic diseases in our society,” said Deputy Speaker Niedziela.
‘In cases where prevention proves insufficient, access to the market for medicines, which should be equal and unrestricted, is of paramount importance. The need to strengthen the European pharmaceutical industry and local production is also an important part of our efforts. Today, more than 50% of active substance production takes place outside Europe. Such a situation carries a high risk of supply chain breakdown, which takes on a strategic importance in uncertain times,’ she said.
‘Healthy people make up a robust society. A robust society means a resilient state, and a resilient state means a secure Europe,’ the Deputy Speaker of the Sejm emphasised.
The other chairwoman of the meeting, Head of the Sejm Committee on Health Marta Golbik reminded the audience that ‘Europe is facing a common challenge pertaining to the health security.’ ‘The experience of the pandemic and the impact of the war outside the EU’s borders have made health one of the most important areas of cooperation between member states. That is why Poland chose health security as one of the priorities of the presidency in the Council of the European Union,’ she said.
‘Parliaments play an important role in the debate concerning key healthcare matters that are relevant to all EU citizens. The parliamentary dimension of the presidency is crucial in identifying challenges related to health and jointly finding solutions. Only together can we effectively develop health policies. The health committees of the Sejm and the Senate intend to actively contribute to the implementation of the presidency priorities,’ she pointed out.
The chairwoman of the Senate Health Committee, Senator Beata Małecka-Libera, who co-chaired Monday’s debate, noted that ‘this debate concerns one of the most pressing issues facing our continent today.’ ‘We have a unique opportunity to exchange experiences on public health between our parliaments,’ she assessed.
‘In spite of the differences concerning our healthcare systems as well as health, social and economic conditions in our member states, we all gathered here, because we all care about public health. Regardless of where we live, we all face similar challenges when it comes to health security. Diseases of affluence, epidemics, mental health disorders, growing misinformation and lack of trust in vaccines, along with the need to ensure access to critical medicines, are global challenges that we must address as a European community,’ she stated.
Wojciech Konieczny, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, also gave an introductory speech. ‘Today’s meeting provides a timely opportunity for relevant debates, which may contribute to the safeguarding of public health for future generations. As recent events have shown, we live in a highly interconnected world – no country or community are immune to cross-border health threats. This should make us realise that health security is not only a national issue, but also a global one,’ the Deputy Minister of Health pointed out.
The first session was devoted to drug security in the European Union.
‘In recent years, we all realised how fragile global supply chains actually are and how quickly shortages of medicines can translate into real threats to patients’ health and lives The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing military conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, have shown that Europe needs to strengthen its resilience not only when it comes to defence, but also in the area of health,’ said Marek Kos, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health.
‘Border and port closures and disruptions in international supply chains can result in a shortage of medicines for European patients. This is a real threat and we cannot overlook this possibility. Poland considers drug security a strategic issue. We are working on comprehensive national solutions, but at the same time we are intensifying our cooperation at the EU level, because we understand that an effective response requires a joint approach. Since the work on revised pharmaceutical cooperation regulations is currently underway, we have a unique opportunity to establish a legal framework for bringing medicines to the market in order to benefit both patients and the European economy. I hope that the Council of the European Union manages to reach a consensus during our presidency. The next step is to ensure support for manufacturing drugs and critical substances. I hope that the Critical Medicines Act will help reduce the European Union’s dependence and strengthen the supply of critical medicines. By doing so, we will create a more competitive economy and effectively provide medicines from across the European Union,’ said the representative of the Ministry of Health during the session.
Adam Jarubas, chairman of the Committee on Public Health of the European Parliament, stated: ‘Based on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing international tensions that we have been seeing in recent years, including the growing threat of trade wars, the European Union is reforming the drug market by implementing the pharmaceutical strategy enacted in 2021. We are working on the pharmaceutical package, including the relevant directive and regulation, which comprise the most comprehensive reform of the pharmaceutical market in more than two decades. We are also launching our work on the Critical Medicines Act,’ the chairman of the Committee pointed out.
‘Poland holds the presidency in the Council of the European Union, placing particular emphasis on health security as one of its priorities. The issue of drug security itself is a complex one, as it requires minimising risk and counteracting drug shortages as well as issues pertaining to the development of and access to modern therapies, developments of digital technologies and new breakthroughs. It also encompasses supporting innovation through clinical trials and all regulatory efforts,’ said Grzegorz Cessak, President of the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products, who attended the Monday’s debate.
‘On the one hand, we are dealing with the post-pandemic healthcare debt; on the other, we have a full-scale war on the eastern border of the European Union, we are dealing with frequent cyberattacks, and the energy crisis in Spain and Portugal. All these factors have a direct impact not only the availability and production of medicines, but most importantly on the continuity of patients’ pharmacotherapy. Ensuring reliable access to medicines is one of the most important factors affecting the country’s resilience,’ stated Łukasz Pietrzak, Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector. As he pointed out, pharmacotherapy is the cornerstone of modern medicine. ‘Without medication, the majority of patients cannot continue their treatment and thus will not achieve positive therapeutic outcomes,’ he pointed out.
The second session was devoted to another important matter, namely the challenges of digital addiction faced by children and youth. Antonio Parenti – Director of Public Health, Cancer and Health Security at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety – addressed the attendees first.
‘The impact of digital technologies goes both ways. On the one hand, they can have a positive impact on the lives of children and youth, but at the same time, they can also negatively affect their mental and physical health. We are concerned about screen addiction and its impact on physical activity and social interaction. We need to promote healthier digital habits and we should also specifically address the mental health of children and youth – this is a priority for this semester of the European Commission,’ Antonio Parenti pointed out. He also reported on the Polish presidency’s initiative. ‘We put forth Council conclusions that will focus on promoting and protecting the mental health of young people in the digital age. If I understand correctly, this initiative will be launched in June,’ he announced.
Aleksandra Lewandowska, the National Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, pointed out that the mental state of children is clearly deteriorating every year. According to the WHO estimates, one in five 11-year-olds exhibits symptoms of various mental disorders. ‘In a 2021 report, UNICEF pointed out that we are losing more than €50 billion every year in terms of human capital due to mental disorders in children and adolescents,’ Aleksandra Lewandowska said.
The third session covered challenges concerning disease prevention. The introductory speech was given by Beata Małecka-Libera, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Health, who emphasised that she understands the impact that members of parliaments can have on certain areas of public health, especially on health education and disease prevention.
Vytenis Andriukaitis, member of a Committee of Public Health of the European Parliament, pointed out that ‘we need to develop a more comprehensive approach.’ ‘Regardless of the fact that we have made a lot of progress, the European Union is not yet responding to the needs concerning the health of its citizens,’ he stressed.
‘Europe is an ageing continent. We need to keep in mind that we are dealing with an ageing population, but also with the ageing doctors and other health professionals. If this trend is not reversed — even if we reverse it now — we will have to wait for many years until we see the results. We need to ensure that people grow up and age in a much healthier way than today. The main efforts in this area concern non-communicable diseases, which is why we are strengthening our prevention measures,’ said Antonio Parenti.
Each of the three sessions concluded with a debate with members of European parliaments.
Monday, 19 May saw another event organised within the framework of the parliamentary dimension of Poland’s presidency in the Council of the European Union in the Meeting Chamber of the Sejm. This time, the Polish Parliament was the venue for debates and exchange of experiences for representatives of EU member states focusing on healthcare matters. The aim of the meeting was to develop systemic solutions aimed at strengthening cooperation on ensuring health security across Europe. Representatives of parliaments, health ministries, the European Commission and healthcare institutions talked about relevant fundamental issues. The meeting agenda focused on three issues that corresponded to the programme objectives in the area of health policy, namely drug security, children’s and youth mental health, particularly in the context of digital addiction, and challenges linked to public health and disease prevention.
‘Health continues to be the most important challenge in terms of securing futures for European societies. A secure society is not simply armed, educated and employed. A secure society is first and foremost a healthy one, since only a healthy society will be able to defend itself, learn and work, thanks to not struggling with health issues,’ said Dorota Niedziela, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm, in her opening speech.
‘Drug security, the challenges faced by children and youth due to digital addictions and preventive medicine are all relevant today, and at the same time, they are very closely linked to the most pressing challenge the EU is currently facing – security in the broadest sense of the term,’ she pointed out.
‘Establishing the best possible foundations for healthcare is as important as any other pillar of security. Responsible disease prevention is the first step on this road. We should always keep in mind that prevention is the least costly and most effective way to improve the health of the population. Digital hygiene, promoting healthy lifestyles, fighting against obesity, alcohol abuse and smoking are some of the measures that will eliminate many of the pathways leading to the prevalence of chronic diseases in our society,” said Deputy Speaker Niedziela.
‘In cases where prevention proves insufficient, access to the market for medicines, which should be equal and unrestricted, is of paramount importance. The need to strengthen the European pharmaceutical industry and local production is also an important part of our efforts. Today, more than 50% of active substance production takes place outside Europe. Such a situation carries a high risk of supply chain breakdown, which takes on a strategic importance in uncertain times,’ she said.
‘Healthy people make up a robust society. A robust society means a resilient state, and a resilient state means a secure Europe,’ the Deputy Speaker of the Sejm emphasised.
The other chairwoman of the meeting, Head of the Sejm Committee on Health Marta Golbik reminded the audience that ‘Europe is facing a common challenge pertaining to the health security.’ ‘The experience of the pandemic and the impact of the war outside the EU’s borders have made health one of the most important areas of cooperation between member states. That is why Poland chose health security as one of the priorities of the presidency in the Council of the European Union,’ she said.
‘Parliaments play an important role in the debate concerning key healthcare matters that are relevant to all EU citizens. The parliamentary dimension of the presidency is crucial in identifying challenges related to health and jointly finding solutions. Only together can we effectively develop health policies. The health committees of the Sejm and the Senate intend to actively contribute to the implementation of the presidency priorities,’ she pointed out.
The chairwoman of the Senate Health Committee, Senator Beata Małecka-Libera, who co-chaired Monday’s debate, noted that ‘this debate concerns one of the most pressing issues facing our continent today.’ ‘We have a unique opportunity to exchange experiences on public health between our parliaments,’ she assessed.
‘In spite of the differences concerning our healthcare systems as well as health, social and economic conditions in our member states, we all gathered here, because we all care about public health. Regardless of where we live, we all face similar challenges when it comes to health security. Diseases of affluence, epidemics, mental health disorders, growing misinformation and lack of trust in vaccines, along with the need to ensure access to critical medicines, are global challenges that we must address as a European community,’ she stated.
Wojciech Konieczny, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, also gave an introductory speech. ‘Today’s meeting provides a timely opportunity for relevant debates, which may contribute to the safeguarding of public health for future generations. As recent events have shown, we live in a highly interconnected world – no country or community are immune to cross-border health threats. This should make us realise that health security is not only a national issue, but also a global one,’ the Deputy Minister of Health pointed out.
The first session was devoted to drug security in the European Union.
‘In recent years, we all realised how fragile global supply chains actually are and how quickly shortages of medicines can translate into real threats to patients’ health and lives The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing military conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, have shown that Europe needs to strengthen its resilience not only when it comes to defence, but also in the area of health,’ said Marek Kos, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health.
‘Border and port closures and disruptions in international supply chains can result in a shortage of medicines for European patients. This is a real threat and we cannot overlook this possibility. Poland considers drug security a strategic issue. We are working on comprehensive national solutions, but at the same time we are intensifying our cooperation at the EU level, because we understand that an effective response requires a joint approach. Since the work on revised pharmaceutical cooperation regulations is currently underway, we have a unique opportunity to establish a legal framework for bringing medicines to the market in order to benefit both patients and the European economy. I hope that the Council of the European Union manages to reach a consensus during our presidency. The next step is to ensure support for manufacturing drugs and critical substances. I hope that the Critical Medicines Act will help reduce the European Union’s dependence and strengthen the supply of critical medicines. By doing so, we will create a more competitive economy and effectively provide medicines from across the European Union,’ said the representative of the Ministry of Health during the session.
Adam Jarubas, chairman of the Committee on Public Health of the European Parliament, stated: ‘Based on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing international tensions that we have been seeing in recent years, including the growing threat of trade wars, the European Union is reforming the drug market by implementing the pharmaceutical strategy enacted in 2021. We are working on the pharmaceutical package, including the relevant directive and regulation, which comprise the most comprehensive reform of the pharmaceutical market in more than two decades. We are also launching our work on the Critical Medicines Act,’ the chairman of the Committee pointed out.
‘Poland holds the presidency in the Council of the European Union, placing particular emphasis on health security as one of its priorities. The issue of drug security itself is a complex one, as it requires minimising risk and counteracting drug shortages as well as issues pertaining to the development of and access to modern therapies, developments of digital technologies and new breakthroughs. It also encompasses supporting innovation through clinical trials and all regulatory efforts,’ said Grzegorz Cessak, President of the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products, who attended the Monday’s debate.
‘On the one hand, we are dealing with the post-pandemic healthcare debt; on the other, we have a full-scale war on the eastern border of the European Union, we are dealing with frequent cyberattacks, and the energy crisis in Spain and Portugal. All these factors have a direct impact not only the availability and production of medicines, but most importantly on the continuity of patients’ pharmacotherapy. Ensuring reliable access to medicines is one of the most important factors affecting the country’s resilience,’ stated Łukasz Pietrzak, Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector. As he pointed out, pharmacotherapy is the cornerstone of modern medicine. ‘Without medication, the majority of patients cannot continue their treatment and thus will not achieve positive therapeutic outcomes,’ he pointed out.
The second session was devoted to another important matter, namely the challenges of digital addiction faced by children and youth. Antonio Parenti – Director of Public Health, Cancer and Health Security at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety – addressed the attendees first.
‘The impact of digital technologies goes both ways. On the one hand, they can have a positive impact on the lives of children and youth, but at the same time, they can also negatively affect their mental and physical health. We are concerned about screen addiction and its impact on physical activity and social interaction. We need to promote healthier digital habits and we should also specifically address the mental health of children and youth – this is a priority for this semester of the European Commission,’ Antonio Parenti pointed out. He also reported on the Polish presidency’s initiative. ‘We put forth Council conclusions that will focus on promoting and protecting the mental health of young people in the digital age. If I understand correctly, this initiative will be launched in June,’ he announced.
Aleksandra Lewandowska, the National Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, pointed out that the mental state of children is clearly deteriorating every year. According to the WHO estimates, one in five 11-year-olds exhibits symptoms of various mental disorders. ‘In a 2021 report, UNICEF pointed out that we are losing more than €50 billion every year in terms of human capital due to mental disorders in children and adolescents,’ Aleksandra Lewandowska said.
The third session covered challenges concerning disease prevention. The introductory speech was given by Beata Małecka-Libera, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Health, who emphasised that she understands the impact that members of parliaments can have on certain areas of public health, especially on health education and disease prevention.
Vytenis Andriukaitis, member of a Committee of Public Health of the European Parliament, pointed out that ‘we need to develop a more comprehensive approach.’ ‘Regardless of the fact that we have made a lot of progress, the European Union is not yet responding to the needs concerning the health of its citizens,’ he stressed.
‘Europe is an ageing continent. We need to keep in mind that we are dealing with an ageing population, but also with the ageing doctors and other health professionals. If this trend is not reversed — even if we reverse it now — we will have to wait for many years until we see the results. We need to ensure that people grow up and age in a much healthier way than today. The main efforts in this area concern non-communicable diseases, which is why we are strengthening our prevention measures,’ said Antonio Parenti.
Each of the three sessions concluded with a debate with members of European parliaments.
