EAHP EU Monitor - 11 June 2014

The EAHP EU Monitor is a regular round up of news relevant to hospital pharmacy in Europe.

You can subscribe to receive the EAHP EU Monitor by email here. 

Hospital pharmacists express concern to EMA about access to clinical trial information

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) has written to the Board of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) expressing concern about proposals to restrict the viewing of clinical trial results to an ‘on screen only’ version. Such access would exclude the possibility of individuals being able to print, distribute, or transfer the information, making scientific analysis of clinical study data highly problematic.

More information here.

 


EAHP responds to Commission consultation on Professional Card

EAHP has responded to a European Commission consultation on the future implementation of an Electronic Professional Card (EPC). The proposed system is designed to speed up the time taken for individuals wishing to have their professional qualifications recognised in another European country.

Key points made by EAHP in its response were:

  • The needs of pharmacists with additional post graduate qualifications, such as hospital pharmacy specialisation, need to be taken account of within the system design;
  • This includes the ability for individuals to upload certifications and other documents proving attainment of such qualifications, similar in fashion to medical, dental or other holders of professional specialty qualifications;
  • Available information held by competent authorities across Europe on mobility trends and statistics for different professions should ideally be collected and published in order to better inform policy making in the area of European professional mobility;
  • Online formats for individuals to negotiate such qualification recognition tools are generally more useful than on-site requirements, as less time needs to be taken out of a typical working day. However the possibilities of on site and telephone support by competent authorities should be retained to assist individuals experiencing difficulties; and,
  • DG Markt should reasonably expect European labour mobility in the area of hospital pharmacy to improve if EAHP and its members are able to form a common training framework for the hospital pharmacy specialisation, as made possible by the new Professional Qualifications Directive.

More information about the proposed European Professional Card system is here
 


EU seeks bids for health project grant funding

The Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency (Chafea), is inviting organisations to bid for project grants for initiatives that: promote health; prevent disease; protect citizens from serious cross-border health threats; facilitate access to better and safer healthcare; or, contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems.

Opening the formal call for proposals on Friday 6th June 2014, the invitation for bids comes as part of the new EU Health Programme (2014-2020),  a € 449.4 million envelope of funds to support the achievement of the EU’s Health Strategy.

In the 2014 call for proposals for projects, the Agency particularly seeks proposals in 7 areas:

  • new approaches to prevention of major chronic diseases, including linking prevention to healthcare interventions (€2.5m budget)
  • early diagnosis and screening of chronic diseases (€1.5m budget)
  • professional reintegration of people with chronic disease (€1m budget)
  • adherence, frailty, integrated care and multi-chronic conditions (€3m )
  • statistical data for medicinal product pricing (€300,000)
  • health monitoring and reporting systems (€3.5m)
  • healthcare associated infection in long-term care (€500,000)

The deadline for applications for funding to be made is 5pm on the 25th September 2014.

The published call for project funding proposals is available here. 
 


EJHP: Persistence with oral antiviral therapy in previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis B in Spain

The online first edition of the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy has this week published an article examining persistence to oral antiviral therapy or time until change of treatment in previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The article explores the results of a prospective observational study with 584 patients from 33 hospitals throughout Spain.

Full article here