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EU’s next-gen ‘healthcare heroes’ to forge ahead at European Health Parliament

Posted: 24 April 2015 |

Young healthcare enthusiasts involved in the European Health Parliament will meet on Friday to push ahead with their ideas on Europe’s future healthcare…

Eighty young healthcare enthusiasts involved in the ‘European Health Parliament‘ will reconvene in Brussels on Friday 24 April for a third and penultimate meeting in order to push ahead with their ideas on Europe’s future healthcare.

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Since its launch in November 2014, the European Health Parliament has consolidated the critical voice of future EU healthcare experts by giving them space to address real world policy concerns – from issues related to chronic disease, patient empowerment, therapeutic innovation, cross-border health threats, as well as the economic and technological dimensions of health.

Speaking of the initiative, European Health Parliament Chair & President, Magdalena Kalata from Poland, said: “EHP’s motto – Occupy Health Street – is a direct challenge to established thinking. Increasingly, we are seeing that the EU can make significant achievements for our generation by combining forces. This doesn’t mean replacing national healthcare systems, but strengthening them rather.”

European Health Parliament will conclude in June 2015 with the launch of seven academic papers

The huge variation in healthcare standards across the EU has prompted the support of Belgian Liberal MEP Philippe De Backer who has a PhD in Biotechnology and a background in life‐sciences venture capital. Speaking at the February 2015 European Health Parliament session, de Backer cited David Bowie’s – ‘We can be heroes’ – as he urged a radical rethink of Europe’s healthcare systems: “We could and should do better on healthcare…Decent access to healthcare is a basic human right for all EU citizens. We have to break through some barriers and I am counting on young people to do this.”

European Health Parliament will conclude in June 2015 with the launch of seven academic papers, co-authored by all participants. The papers will outline recommendations for Europe’s future healthcare and will be shared with policy makers and the healthcare community across the EU28.

European Health Parliament is backed by the College of Europe, Google, Janssen, EU40 – the network of young Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and Politico (formerly European Voice).