EU research – delivering health and wealth

Two MEPs discuss health research and technology

John Bowis

Pacemakers, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, three-dimensional CAT scans, transplant, keyhole and laser surgery - these are just a few examples of medical technology breakthroughs of the last century.

Facing the health challenges of the 21st century will also require further advances, and, drawing upon our intellectual capital and industry, there is no reason why Europe should not be at the forefront of this.

We have seen advances in medical imaging, screening techniques, devices and equipment. We can certainly expect more advances here as well as in the field of therapies, with the prospect of more medicines designed specifically for individual patients and the development of ‘advanced therapies’ using genes, cells and tissue engineering. Gene therapy and somatic cell-therapy products are already being clinically tested for the treatment of inherited diseases, cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. Tissue engineering and ‘regenerative medicine’ is changing the treatment of skin, cartilage and bone diseases and injuries.

This year the EU will adopt a new regulation for the authorisation, supervision and post-authorisation vigilance of advanced therapy products, with a view to improving and harmonising market access for biotech companies in Europe.

We look for advances in the way technology can help healthcare professionals share information - both on medical knowledge and experience as a practising community and on individual patients (telemedicine). A ‘telecardiology’ project in northern Italy, for example, allows cardiologists and other consultants to link up and share their expertise in diagnosing and treating patients.

We have seen a huge rise in internet usage by general practitioners. Within the last few years, connectivity - in particular to broadband - has more than doubled and is now found in over 80% of all primary care institutions in the EU. At the same time, of course, patients are turning to the internet to access information and we must therefore ensure that websites providing health information are accurate and clear.

Some of these technological advances will help make patient and professional mobility in the EU a reality. The European Commission will publish a proposal on health services and patient mobility later this year - a proposal that will have to address the issue of patient safety in cross-border care.

Technology could strengthen the basis for authorities to share information on black-listed professionals, so that there is confidence and transparency about doctors who move across the EU.

Europe is already leading the world in the use of electronic health records and health cards. Electronic patient records help to transfer patient information across borders. Should medical records be stored electronically on the European Health Insurance Card? How do we ensure that relevant patient information is readily available to healthcare professionals, while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of patient records? These questions must be answered if the Commission’s plan for a ‘European e-Health Area’ is to be realised.

With ever-escalating health costs, governments are continually searching for more efficient and effective methods of delivering healthcare.

The biggest budget line within the EU’s 7th framework programme for research (FP7) is for information and communications technologies, with some €9,050 million allocated. Let us hope that, along with the FP7’s commitment to finding ways to deliver healthcare more effectively, Europe will be able to lead the world in health technology innovation in coming years.

• John Bowis MEP is co-ordinator for the centre-right EPP-ED group on the European Parliament’s environment, public health and food safety committee and health spokesman for the UK Conservatives.

Dorette Corbey

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a strong speech to the European Parliament last week. Her plea for Europe to be a global leader due to technology, talent and tolerance was impressive and inspiring. EU legislators need to translate Merkel’s ideas in new policies in many fields.

The health sector is obviously a hi-tech sector where new technologies are developed on an ongoing basis.

Combined new health technologies provide long-awaited answers to degenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s, cardio-vascular diseases and others. Some experts even foresee a future generation of super-humans in a situation in which almost all medical problems can be solved and technology allows the implantation of new organs whenever necessary.

This is of course a big challenge to legislators. Of course it is a fantastic idea that we can live longer and healthier lives. But some questions need to be answered.

Is innovative health technology equally available to all of us? How can we make it available to everyone? Will the new health technologies spread like the internet, gradually reaching out to every country and available to ever more citizens? Or will it be a ‘happy-few’ technology that creates a super class of overly healthy humans, leaving behind the rest of mankind deprived of advantages?

It is Europe’s tradition of obligatory health insurance systems that can make new technologies available for all. And this tradition is a booster for competitiveness because new approaches will easily find sufficient markets.

The next questions concern ethical aspects. Are we prepared to select our children on genetic characteristics to avoid major diseases or to choose other features? Do we want to be super-humans? Or is mankind better off by learning how to cope with differences, imperfections, deficits and diseases? Or, to put it in more religious terms: is there a meaning in diseases, deficits and suffering? These questions also need a serious debate within the European Parliament. And probably the outcome of the debate will lead to different answers in different countries, different religions and different cultures. In other parts of the world the outcome may be different. It is clear that political choices to draw up ethical boundaries that limit research, science and application of technologies will hamper European competitiveness - but this price may be worth paying.

And that brings us to the last set of questions: who is in control? Is it the scientific community? Is it big business? What is the impact of patents here? Do we need to spend even more EU research money? And what should be the role for government? Most of us would argue that some control is needed, at least for the ethical part, but also for the availability. But there is also the so-called Collingridge dilemma that explains why controlling technology is difficult, if not impossible. During its early stages, when technology can be controlled, not enough can be known about its harmful social consequences to warrant controlling its development; but by the time these consequences are apparent, control has become costly, slow and ineffective. But government intervention to encourage or limit new technologies will have an impact on competitiveness.

It is clear that major challenges in prevention and treatment exist, but also in political and ethical issues. In order to deal with these, we need to nurture talent. And we need tolerance. It is indeed very important in the EU of 27 member states to respect different choices, different policies with different outcomes from the debate. Only with a deep mutual tolerance will we have the mindset to learn from each other. And that is the way to improve health and healthcare all over Europe. Europe’s tradition for tolerance, diversity and for dialogue helps us further. I truly believe that the development of innovative health technologies has a bright future in the EU.

• Dutch Socialist MEP Dorette Corbey is a member of Parliament’s environment, public health and food safety committee.

Two MEPs discuss health research and technology