More cooperation needed in EU healthcare

Abstract

It is well known that EU Member States have competency for their own healthcare systems under the Treaties, but it is equally true that, in today's fast-moving health-related environment, there are disadvantages for European patients if Member States act in isolation. Two obvious examples are frustrated attempts to improve Ell-wide cooperation on health technology assessment and the much-reported current failings of the cross-border healthcare directive. More willingness to collaborate would not only improve the lot of patients and citizens, but also attract investment, allowing Europe to become a hub of innovation, able to provide services to its own economy for its continued prosperity. Unfortunately, there are currently key gaps in stakeholder involvement, standardisation, interoperable infrastructure, European-level policy making, funding, data and research, and healthcare systems. On a scientific level, barriers exist since molecular data is complex to translate into information for clinical practice, for example, because of the heterogeneity of disease subtypes. And at the level of regulation, urgent policy actions are needed - backed by investment and relevant training - to remedy the research-to-market gap in the EU that threatens to condemn the bloc to trailing global competitors. The EU faces choices if it wants to pursue innovation and bridge the gap between research and the market place. [excerpt]