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Throughout the world, health outcomes have improved dramatically over the past decade. The key to this global health progress has been and continues to be the advance in science-based, medical innovation, including new procedures, diagnostics, health technologies and medicines.
While progress has been made, there is still an urgent need to accelerate the pace of drug discovery and research for tomorrow’s cures to address unmet health needs and to reduce the global and economic burden of illness and disease.
There is also much that must be done to strengthen health systems to ensure that these advancements reach the patients who need them. As Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) says, “Health systems are the foundation for better health. All the donated drugs in the world won’t do any good without an infrastructure for their delivery.”
We, the undersigned, call on national governments around the world to support the global search for new treatments and cures through policies that support, incentivize and promote medical discovery and innovation.
AND
We call on governments around the world to commit to providing sustainable health care delivery, so that people who need treatment and medicines can get them, no matter what their financial standing. Governments should ensure patient and citizen involvement in health policy development and transparency in their decision-making processes.
During 2014, Ward Health conducted a civic survey concerning medical innovation and the role of patients also with the contribution of civic and patients organizations linked to Active Citizenship Network. The objective of the initiative was to seek the input of the “patient advocacy community” on issues related to drug research and development around the world.
Active Citizenship Network has decided to dedicate the 9th celebration of the European Patients’ Rights Day 2015 (launched by ACN in 2003) to the sustainability of healthcare systems focusing on what concerns chronic diseases. The debate will be focused on different but complementary main aspects such as the responsibility of different actors involved in sustainable healthcare systems and the role of prevention and innovation.
In 2014, Active Citizenship Network has started a research-project at the European level with the aim to give evidence on existing good practices in several European countries in terms of struggle against pain. The research was presented in Brussels last October 2nd with the involvement of EU and National Institutions, professionals, civic and patient associations, companies and other relevant stakeholders. The meeting was realized with the official patronage of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers in the context of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the official patronage of the Italian Ministry of Health.
The Informal Meeting of the European Health Ministers was held on 22 and 23 September in Milan (Italy) and was chaired by Italian Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin. It addressed the following issues: palliative care and pain therapy, fight against Ebola, innovative drugs and cancer prevention.
Last 17th November patients (Pain Alliance Europe, PAE) and citizens (Active Citizenship Network, ACN) called for urgent action for chronic pain management at a national and EU level. At the European Economic Social Committee, they presented data and Recommendations in order to urgently ask policy makers to prioritize chronic pain at an EU level.
The 5th Edition of the annual SIP event (November 17-18th) promoted in Brussels by the European Pain Federation-EFIC was the occasion to have a discussion involving key stakeholders in Europe in order to define what are the needs to ensure that chronic pain and palliative care become long term EU and National Health priorities.
The annual Report of the Ministry of Health sent to the Italian Parliament on law no. 38/10, the law establishing the right to not suffer, starts with data provided by Cittadinanzattiva-Tribunal for Patients’ Rights, demonstrating the strong commitment of Cittadinanzattiva on the topic.
This is what emerged from the Report sent by the Italian Minister of Health, Beatrice Lorenzin, to the Parliament concerning the current implementation level of Law no. 38/10 on the access to palliative care and pain therapy.
It is a big research done by National Agency for regional healthcare services (Age.na.s) and the Agency of Civic Evaluation of Cittadinanzattiva involving 287 treatment centres, 286 local associations, 241 équipes and 594 citizens all over Italy. The assessment was presented in Rome last November 7h The focus was on pediatrics and obstetrics, but also on emergency, multiculturality, intensive therapy and “hospital without pain”.
In Italy, the topic of “humanization of treatment” was put this year for the first time in the Operational Plan led by Italian Ministry of Health called “Pact for Health 2014-2016” that invites regions to do all necessary interventions that has to do with structural, organizational and communicational aspects of care. This plan also includes drafting an annual program of humanization of treatments with at least one project activity concerning professionals training and organizational changes.
Cittadinanzattiva APS
p.iva: 02142701008
via Imera, 2
00183 Roma
Tel: (+39) 06.36.71.81
Fax: (+39) 06.36.71.83.33
Rue Philippe Le Bon, 46
1000 Brussels - Belgium
