EU ministers discuss important issue in informal meeting in Budapest

At a two-day informal council meeting in Budapest, EU health ministers discussed joint action against cardiovascular diseases, as well as the issues of organ donations and transplantations, Péter Takács, the state secretary for health, told a press conference on Thursday.

The Hungarian presidency supports completion of the European Health Union as a way to respond to demographic challenges and strengthen the bloc’s competitiveness, in addition to improving the health and well-being of European citizens.

He said cardiovascular diseases were still seen as the leading causes of death as well as factors in the sustainability of health-care systems.

Discussions focused on preventive measures and addressing the problems of smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, poor mental hygiene and environmental risks, as well as ensuring the availability of better treatment and rehabilitation options.

Another topic was the future of organ donations and transplants, he said, noting that between 2009 and 2015 organ donations went up by 21 percent under the EU’s organ donation and transplantation action plan. A new action plan is needed, he added.

The ministers discussed how to eliminate inequalities between member states in this area and EU support mechanisms, Takacs noted.

Regarding draft regulation on the European health data space, he said the aim was to create a secure space for accessing and sharing electronic health data in the EU while promoting research, innovation and policy development.

As well as better patient access to their health data, the planned directive aims to support the digital health market while ensuring data security and privacy, Takacs said, adding that the measures should be introduced gradually. Full implementation is expected from 2030, he said.

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