The new influenza, antibiotic resistance, prevention of alcohol-related harm and patients’ rights are some of the issues on the agenda when the EU health ministers meet in Jönköping for the first informal ministerial meeting in Sweden, 6–9 July.
”These are concrete and important issues that affect a great number of people”, says Minister for Health and Social Affairs, Göran Hägglund. Together with Maria Larsson, Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health, he is hosting the first two days of the meeting, on 6–7 July.

On the following two days, 8–9 July, the ministers responsible for employment and social security issues will meet. On these days, the Minister for Employment Sven-Otto Littorin and the Minister for Social Security Cristina Husmark Pehrsson will take over as hosts. The theme for the second part of the meeting is labour market inclusion and addresses the issue of how the unemployed and people on sick leave and disability pension can re-enter the labour market. In total, some 50 ministers are expected in Jönköping over the course of the four days.

The rapid spread of the new influenza opens the meeting on Monday
 

When the meeting opens on Monday, 6 July, the ministers will discuss preparedness for pandemics and the spread of the new influenza.

The new influenza was first observed in Mexico and the USA at the end of April. Until June the spread was fairly slow, but it has since gathered speed. On 11 June, the UN body WHO, the World Health Organisation, decided that the influenza should be classed as a full-scale pandemic, as it continues to spread in several parts of the world. Towards the end of June, over 6 000 cases of the new influenza had been confirmed in the EU and EFTA countries. On the Thursday and Friday preceding the ministerial meeting, a meeting of experts will be held to discuss the experiences of the Member States.

Resistant bacteria require more effective pharmaceuticals
 

Also to be found on Monday’s agenda is the issue of access to effective antibiotics, for example penicillin. There is an increasing problem of antibiotic resistance, i.e. bacteria that develop resistance to antibiotics. During the meeting, the health ministers will also discuss how the EU can stimulate development of new effective pharmaceuticals.

”We are currently at a very sensitive stage where the prevalence of antibiotic resistance increases while the development of new pharmaceuticals is slowing down”, notes Minister for Health and Social Affairs, Göran Hägglund. “We risk ending up in a similar situation to the one predating the invention of antibiotics.”

Besides the health ministers, the researcher Otto Cars, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Uppsala University, will participate in the meeting and present his latest findings on antibiotic resistance.

Following the conclusion of the meeting on Monday evening, the Swedish ministers will visit the public event Jönköping Live that will be taking place in the city.

Joint efforts to combat alcohol-related harm
 

On Tuesday, 7 July, the health ministers will focus on the prevention of alcohol-related harm. And the damage is extensive within the EU. It is estimated that some 200 000 EU citizens will suffer an alcohol-relatedpremature death.Also, about a quarter of all road accidents within the EU are alcohol related. This is the equivalent of over 10 000 fatalities every year. Harmful alcohol consumption is a great threat, not only to public health, but also to economic development and social welfare.

In autumn 2006, the European Commission adopted a strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm in the EU. As well as limiting the number of alcohol-related fatalities and road accidents, the strategy also aims to protect children and young people.

“This is a disquieting development. There is a risk that alcohol-related harm affecting children and young people will increase in many EU countries”, according to Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health Maria Larsson.

A first progress report on the strategy will be presented by the Commission during the year. In order to highlight the problem of alcohol and its harmful effects, ministers and young people will be shown a number of European films advertising alcohol and asked to respond.

The right to healthcare in other EU countries rounds off the day
 

During the second day of the meeting, ministers will also discuss patient rights when receiving healthcare in other EU countries. After a number of cases at the EC Court of Justice, the Commission last year presented its proposed rules to clarify what rights patients have. The proposal also aims to increase cooperation between countries when it comes to patients' rights to cross‑border healthcare.

In connection with the meeting, ministers will be given information about eHealth. Investments in modern IT tools strengthen both patient security and healthcare quality as well as healthcare effectiveness and accessibility.