Brussels, 17/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 16 September in Brussels, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) launched a patients' rights site: http://www.patients-rights.eu . Jules Maaten, the Dutch MEP, believes that patient information is crucial and he informed the press that this project is an “indispensable tool for allowing everyone to understand what's written about diseases and therefore what one is suffering from”. The site is in all EU languages and constitutes a “real contribution to better communication”.
This project comes in the wake of Commissioner Vassiliou's legislative proposal on 2 July last (EUROPE 9695) and aims to inform the sick who want care abroad not to be prevented from this for reasons linked to cost, safety or quality.
The Danish vice president of he ALDE, Karin Riis-Jorgensen, presented the site and explained that many sick people often had to wait a long time to receive treatment in their own countries. They are stuck on waiting lists and most of the time do not know that they can get treatment abroad. The lack of information and the obstacles they have to face to obtain reimbursement from their national health care systems discourage them from going to other countries. All this prevents the free movement of the sick in the EU. By launching the site, the ALDE is seeking to break down barriers and provide people with the chance to benefit from excellent health services abroad. Olle Smith from Sweden said that this site, “is a big step forward” towards patient choice and better health benefits throughout Europe. Sophia in't Veld from the Netherlands called on member states, governments and citizens to fight for rights in this area. Johannes Lebech said that it was important to be able to able to benefit from the best healthcare needed. A Danish breast cancer patient, Marie Fjellerup, came to explain the problems she encountered, as well as her tenacity to get treatment in Germany. The illness appears to be cured thanks to the freedom of choice she has been able to benefit from in getting treatment in another country, and thanks to the assistance of friends who helped her overcome the financial obstacles. (G.B./transl.rh)