Health Research
The Health Research Committee focuses on advocating for stronger funding for health research in the EU as well as working together towards a harmonised regulatory system which supports research and better health in Europe.
Description
Biomedical health research is at the heart of the BioMed Alliance’s mission. With
its Health Research Committee, the Alliance monitors EU Health research policy and related policies, informs its members about developments, provides a
platform for discussions and conveys the position of members to policymakers
and stakeholders. We strive to address bottlenecks and call for more support and
coordination health research.
Chair
The Committee is chaired by Prof. Wilfried Ellmeier.
Board Representatives
The Board Representatives for the Committee is Prof. Craig Wheelock and Prof. Ruth Loos.
Highlights
Report
2023 Report Highlights the importance of Life Science Investments in Europe
The report, "Attracting Life Science Investments in Europe," has been published in 2023 as an initiative by BioMed Alliance, EuropaBio, and Johnson & Johnson. The report consists of an analysis of the life science sector within Europe, providing a set of indicators on the importance of life science investments.
The report identifies existing gaps within the European life science ecosystem compared to the US and China and provides strategic recommendations to address these disparities. Key recommendations include:
- Stronger policy efforts from the EU to establish a long-term vision and enhance Europe’s position in life sciences.
- Increased and more focused public funding for research and education, both at the EU level and within individual member states, to avoid the inefficiencies caused by fragmented resources
News
Concerns about cuts in EU4Health and Horizon Europe budgets
In early February, BioMed Alliance expressed its strong disappointment with political decisions to cut the EU4Health budget by 1 billion and the Horizon Europe budget by 2.1 billion Euros. With the COVID-19 pandemic still fresh in our minds, and the number of people suffering from chronic diseases steadily increasing, we need more investment in health and research. With the EU elections coming up in June this year we hope that health and research will continue to be a priority in the elections, and for the new Parliament and Commission.
News
BioMed Alliance leads drafting of HERA Civil Society Forum Discussion Paper
On November 17, the Civil Society Forum of the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) adopted its first discussion paper on the strategy and future role of HERA. The drafting of the paper was coordinated by the BioMed Alliance and it recommends increased investment into health emergency preparedness and response in addition to closer integration of strategies on the EU level. It focuses on a range of issues including strong and separate funding streams, enhanced coordination and the need to have a broader scope beyond merely medical countermeasures to immediate health emergencies. The paper will inform the upcoming mid-term review of HERA’s mandate in 2024
Statement
New statement shares the concerns of the scientific community on a recent Citizens Initiative proposing to phase-out animal testing
The medical & scientific community represented within the BioMed Alliance has published a new statement expressing its strong concerns about the consequences of the European Citizens Initiative ‘Save cruelty free cosmetics - Commit to a Europe without animal testing’ for biomedical research. While the first two parts of the Citizens’ Initiative refer to protecting the animal testing ban for cosmetics and to transforming the chemicals regulation (the BioMed Alliance has no official position on this), the third part on modernising science could affect the European health research sector.
This Citizens Initiative calls on the Commission to introduce a ‘legislative proposal plotting a roadmap to phase-out all animal testing in the EU before the end of the current legislative term’ and is currently being considered by EU policy makers. The initiative was also discussed in a hearing in the European Parliament on 25 May and the Commission is preparing a response.
The proposed phase-out will have a detrimental effect on biomedical research and will significantly hinder the search for new insights into the characteristics and progress of diseases and the development of life saving treatment options for patients.
News
BioMed Alliance selected as stakeholder in the HERA Civil Society Forum
The BioMed Alliance was appointed as a member of the European Commission’s HERA Civil Society Forum. The Forum, as a sub-group of the HERA Advisory Forum, will help to ensure that HERA receives regular input on the views and expertise of the civil society stakeholders. The BioMed Alliance will serve as a liaison between HERA and our members.
The European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is a key pillar of the European Health Union and will fill a gap in the EU's health emergency response and preparedness. It was launched as a European Commission Directorate-General in 2021. The instrument anticipates threats and potential health crises, through intelligence gathering and building the necessary response capacities.
Report
Workshop European initiatives for health research and development
The "European initiatives for health research and development” workshop was held at the World Health Summit in Berlin on Sunday 29th October 2019. The workshop was hosted by the BioMed Alliance, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the M8 Alliance. The report summarises the speakers’ perspectives and views on the future design of European health research and global partnerships.