The Hungarian Council Presidency’s priorities in the Health Sector

Tackling with cardiovascular diseases, renewing the EU cooperation on organ donations and transplants, the fight against smoking, mental health and the negotiations on the pharmaceutical package.  These are the priorities and goals on which the Hungarian Council Presidency will have to focus in the Health sector. 

This is what has emerged after the exchange of views that took place on Monday 23rd September in Brussels, involving Dr Péter Takács (Secretary of State for Health from the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior) and the members of the ENVI committee (which focuses on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) of the European Parliament. 

“The health policy objectives are closely aligned with two horizontal priorities of the Hungarian Presidency: improving the EU’s demographic situation and its competitiveness” stated Secretary Takàcs, who also added that: “in terms of legislation, the ambition is to advance negotiations on the pharmaceutical package”. 

During his speech, Takàcs also underlined how facing the issue of cardiovascular diseases will be of crucial importance, since they are the leading cause of death in EU. The aim, as he explained, is to adopt the Council conclusions based on four pillars: prevention, secondary prevention, treatment and innovation, and rehabilitation. 

Particular importance was also given to the aim of advancing of negotiations on the pharmaceutical package (the sector in the Eu is in decline, as highlighted in Letta and Draghi’s report) and the importance of the fight against smoke, a field in which the Council’s proposal for a smoke-free environment is expected to be adopted at the EPSCO Council meeting on 3rd December. 

However, during the debate many ENVI members spoke out on what should be the priorities of the Council Presidency, also pointing out some critical aspects of the pharmaceutical sector. 

Oliver Schenk (EPP) emphasized the critical role of digitalization in advancing the field of healthcare. “It is difficult to envision progress in healthcare without the integration of digital solutions – Schenk said – there is a pressing need for greater interoperability between member states, particularly in terms of finding an efficient and secure method of transferring health-related data across borders”. 

There was no lack of references to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as underlined in the speech of ENVI Vice-Chair András Tivadar Kulja (EPP), who asked whether “specific measures will be taken to implement an EU-wide strategy, particularly regarding Hungary’s poor cardiovascular health statistics” and to pharmaceutical legislation and data, as mentioned by Nicolás González Casares (S&D): ‘“there is slow progress on the revision of the pharmaceutical law, attributing the delays to issues related to incentives and data sharing regulations: there is a risk that the process will stall due to these challenges”. 

Stine Bosse (Renew), on the other hand, expressed appreciation for the focus on competitiveness in the pharmaceutical sector, stressing the “importance of ensuring better access to healthcare for all EU citizens” and also asked: “Which are the Presidency plans to balance a competitive pharmaceutical sector with access to medicines for all citizens?”. 

Overall, the issues on which most members agreed were the urgency for addressing cardiovascular diseases, ensuring an efficient new pharmaceutical package and fighting smoking. 

However, answering the questions posed by ENVI members, Secretary Takàcs commented: “regarding access to medicines, the goal is to ensure access for all, including antibiotics, with plans for a balanced voucher system and a focus on strengthening production in Europe”.

“Another crucial issue – added the Hungarian Health Secretary – will be tackling the healthcare shortage workers: under the Belgian presidency, the Council adopted a position, and the Commission must now follow up”.