1) EU Member States try to sell surplus stocks of A(H1N1) vaccine
Source: EurActiv

In January 2010, governments in Western Europe are selling off surplus stocks of the H1N1 flu vaccine and cancelling orders for additional supplies amid low public demand. But the World Health Organisation is warning that flu transmission is still on the rise in Central and Eastern Europe.
France is looking to sell large volumes of surplus vaccine after ordering millions more doses than it needed. Germany hopes to back out of on a large order of drugs placed during the early phase of the pandemic, while Spain wants drug companies to buy back its excess vaccine stocks.

A similar picture is emerging in the Netherlands and the UK, where demand has fallen well short of expectations, partly due to the relatively mild impact of the virus and partly due to public unease over mass vaccination.
At present, the most active areas of flu transmission include Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and the Urals region of the Russian Federation, the WHO said in its weekly pandemic update.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), just over 1,700 fatal cases of H1N1 influenza had been recorded in the EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries to date.
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) said that while most deaths have been in Western Europe, there are increasing numbers of deaths being reported from Central and Eastern Europe.

"However, because of lack of laboratory confirmation and underreporting, among other factors, this is likely to be a gross underestimation of the true number of fatalities associated with the pandemic," it said.

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2) Spain takes over rotating EU Presidency

Spain took up the EU Presidency 1st January 2010, which it keeps until the end of June 2010.
The country holding the Presidency leads the meetings of the European Council (the summits where the heads of state meet). It also acts as the driving force behind the EU’s legislative and political work, mainly functioning as an adviser between Member States to reach compromises. The Presidency rotates every six months between EU Member States.

The Prime Minister of Spain announced the country’s Presidency’s priorities; regarding health, the Presidency will focus on
• e-Health,
• health inequalities,
• organ donations and
• the implications of the ageing population.
More information on the official programme of the Spanish EU Presidency and details regarding the main events are available at: www.eu2010.es

3) More involvement of patients and consumers in the European Medicines Agency
Source: EMEA

The Agency’s management board endorsed a new strategy in December 2009 to further involve patients and consumers in the work of the EMEA. The new plan makes a number of proposals that considerably widen the scope of patients’ and consumers’ contribution to the Agency. It includes:
• consultation during benefit-risk evaluation of medicines,
• participation as observers in meetings of the Pharmacovigilance Working Party and
• contribution to the Agency’s safety communications.

It also provides financial support to facilitate the participation of patient and consumer representatives.

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