In June 2010 the European Commission Directorate for Health (DG SANCO) released its 2010 and beyond Management Plan. The Management Plan ties together the Commission Work Programme and the 2007-2013 Health Strategy. The management plan highlights the challenges set out in the “Europe 2020 strategy” (which follows up on the “Lisbon agenda”) and how they are reflected in the EU Health Strategy.

The Management Plan argues that Health is an investment, a driver for competitiveness and a source of employment. Thus, the Commission seeks to emphasise health promotion throughout life – to the youth, the working population and older people - in order to promote health at all ages. A healthy workforce proposal is foreseen for 2011.

The Commission is also working to ensure that impact assessments incorporate social aspects, which include health.

The Commission plan details several objectives that will have an impact on pharmacists:

1. Under the objective “Fostering Good Health in an Ageing Europe” among the policy outputs planned for 2010 and beyond are :

• a Commission initiative regarding the implementation of a European database for medical devices (EUDAMED)
• a proposal to recast the Medical Devices Directive and the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (for 2011)
• a proposal to recast of the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive (for 2011)
• a proposal for a Council Recommendation on post-natal newborn screening for some rare disorders

2. Under the objective “Protecting Citizens from Health Threats,” the main policy outputs for 2010 and beyond are :

• a Communication on pandemic preparedness
• the setting up of an information exchange system, to report and react on - Serious Adverse Reactions and Events (SAREs) on blood and tissues and cells with a potential impact in more than one Member State providing roster for on duty service and maintaining alert internet tools

3. Under the objective of “Supporting Dynamic Health Systems and Use of New Technologies in Member States and Regions” the main policy outputs for 2010 and beyond are :

• guidelines on EU coding system on tissues and cells
• preparatory work for the entry into force of the Directive on patients’ rights in cross-border health care
• the transposition check for Tissues and Cells Directive
• an assessment of the consistency of legislation on Tissues/Cells and Advanced Medicinal Therapies

4. Under the Objective of “Safe, Innovative and Accessible Medicines,” the main policy outputs for 2010 and beyond are :

• a legal proposal on clinical trials
• a report on the availability of medicines
• a report on the use of personalised medicines
• a political decision on a possible legal proposal to optimise the functioning of the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

The plan