Brussels, 16/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 11 July, the Lithuanian minister for health, Vytenis Povilas Andrukaitis, set out Lithuania's priorities on health for MEPs from the European Parliament's ENVI committee. Discussions at the informal health ministers meeting in Vilnius on 8-9 July (see EUROPE 10885) illustrated some challenges for the future: healthcare sustainability, mental health and smoking among the young, said Andriukaitis. According to the Lithuanian minister, healthcare issues are particularly complex, adding that it will only be through cooperation with Parliament that results will be obtained. He highlighted the urgency of making real progress on flagship initiatives before the European elections of May 2014, in order to guarantee citizens better healthcare protection (in vitro diagnosis, medical devices, smoking and clinical trials), which MEPs supported.
The number one priority of the Lithuanian Presidency in health care over the next six months will be the adoption of conclusions on efficient and sustainable healthcare systems. Andrukaitis explained that health systems must be rethought in a much broader context: “We now need to put health in its socio-economic context… Health reform is necessary and will be done through national reform programmes and the European Semester… New solutions need to be found so that European health policy can develop”. Another point that will be the focus of the Presidency is discussions on the tobacco directive. A common position was adopted under the Irish Presidency and the Council is awaiting the McAvan report in order to begin trialogue discussions. The Lithuanian minister added that “a very important text has been adopted on the tobacco directive and member states expressed their political determination to work under the Lithuanian Presidency and with the Parliament… We are also hoping for great progress to be made, for example, with clinical trials, medical products and the work on the European Medicines Agency (EMA)”. Medical devices and pharmaco-vigilance are also on the Lithuanian Presidency's agenda. (IL/transl.fl)