Source: WHO
Sixteen manufacturers from ten countries are developing prototype pandemic influenza vaccines against H5N1 avian influenza virus. Five of them are also involved in the development of vaccines against other avian viruses (H9N2, H5N2, and H5N3).

Source: ECDC
European nations are at least two years away from being able to effectively handle an influenza pandemic, such as an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, a report published 22 February 2007 warns.

Source: EuObserver - Picture : University of Vienna
At the beginning of February 2007, the new Austrian chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer accused the European Commission of "jeopardising the Austrian health system" by demanding that Vienna lifts its quotas on the amount of Germans studying medicine in Austria and said that his government will resist Brussels' push for equal access of all EU students to Austria's medical faculties.

In France the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS - the High Authority for Health) is going to certify medical websites, to help readers find serious, high quality information.

Source: BBC News
In a scheme at Birmingham (UK) Heartlands Hospital, day case surgery patients are carrying their personal data on electronic tags embedded into wristbands.

Following the adoption of the Public Health Programme’s 2007 Work Plan on 12 February 2007, the Public Health Executive Agency (PHEA) published a Call for Proposals on 16 February 2007.

Source : EurActiv
EU Member States have adopted an international agreement that will eliminate customs duties on all new pharmaceuticals traded with the US and Switzerland.

On 19 February 2007, the European Commission DG Employment launched a comprehensive web portal on how to access treatment in another EU country, whether the need for medical care was not planned before travelling abroad or if it was.

The official inauguration of the first ever pan-European funding body for frontier research took place on 27 February 2007 at a conference in Berlin.

The European Parliament and Council of Ministers are currently considering a Regulation proposed by the Commission on advanced therapeutic products referring to highly innovative medical products based on genes (gene therapy), cells (cell therapy) or tissues (tissue engineering).

Nanotechnology can open up promising areas in diagnosis and treatment but measures are needed to ensure that medical products and devices that use it are safe, scientific experts told the Commission.

The humanitarian NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is urging the European Union to support the Indian government in a legal fight against a pharmaceutical company over patented medicines.

The European Commission’s Directorate General on Research officially launched the 7th European Research Programme (FP7) at a conference held by the German Presidency in Bonn on January 15-16, 2007.

Source: EU Observer
The European Commission is to launch disciplinary sanctions against Member States breaking the EU's working time rules, particularly national governments applying different rules for doctors or hospital pharmacists when they are on duty but not actually working.

Source: e-health 2007
The eHealth week takes place from 16th to 20th April 2007 at Messe Berlin, Berlin’s international exhibition and conference centre. Conceived and organised as a European event, it is part of the associated programme of the German EU Presidency 2007.