European Elections
The EU has achieved a lot. That is not a matter of course!
UM – 05/2024
On the occasion of the upcoming European
elections from June 6th to 9th 2024, Dr Doris Pfeiffer, Chairwoman of the Board of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) has commented on which EU initiatives will be particularly helpful to policyholders what she would like to see during the next five
years and why she thinks people should vote.
Dr Doris Pfeiffer, chairwoman of the
National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband),
is of the opinion that the European Health Data Space (EHDS) initiative is
especially important. It will give an
important boost to digitising the healthcare sector. EHDS will make the health
data of insured people available throughout the EU. This data will then be
readily available - even across borders - and this will improve the medical
care provided to everyone. Good care requires the most comprehensive and
up-to-date information possible about previous illnesses, medication taken or
diagnostics that were previously recorded. This means that it must be available
when the treatment takes place. Electronic patient files that contain the necessary
information will then be available for this. They can then be called up by the
attending physicians. The health data will also be available for research
purposes. Merging health data and analysing it will help to further improve
healthcare.
Dr Pfeiffer also thinks that it will be
particularly important if the EU finalises the pharmaceutical reform quickly
after the elections. Then medicines will remain safe and affordable and supply
shortages will be avoided as far as possible. This is a pan-European challenge
that the EU has taken on through its pharmaceutical strategy. Furthermore, it
will be important to find a fair political compromise that takes the interests
of those paying contributions for safe and affordable medicines into consideration
and one that does not jeopardise sustainable financing for healthcare systems.
According to Dr Pfeiffer, far too little is
known about the positive impact that the EU has on people's everyday lives.
Many things are taken for granted, but a reference to what the EU has done is
never made. The fact is that people can now live, study and work anywhere in
Europe whilst still enjoying social security - the EU has created the basis for
this through the right of coordination. The EU is also responsible for ensuring
that medicines and medical products are equally safe in every country. We should
not fall behind with these achievements. This is why it is important to vote
and give the EU a strong mandate for the coming legislative period.