Brussels, 12/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - Several MEPs from the different political groups took the initiative on 6 July to write a declaration drawing attention to suffering from rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis. The declaration calls for sufferers to be given greater recognition at a European level - as part of the strategy on health and the research framework programme - and at a level of Member States. British Labour Party member Richard Howitt, Cypriot Adamos Adamou (GUE/NGL), Spanish Green David Hammerstein, Austrian Christian Democrat Ursula Stenzel and Grazyna Staniszewska (ALDE, Poland) want rheumatic diseases to be included in the priorities of the next research framework programme. They want a directive on the disease so that continuing discrimination against sufferers ends and which would encourage Member States to take measures guaranteeing better access to available treatment. Although half of all MEPs signed the written declaration over three months, it will become an official European Parliament resolution.
It is estimated that more than 40% of the Europeans suffer from rheumatoid diseases and is the single major cause of early retirement due to disability and chronic pain in the EU. Their overall cost is extremely heavy for Union health services, pointed out a pres release by the European Alliance Against Arthritis (EULAR).