Some thoughts on health and healthcare

Inleiding De komende jaren wordt Europese gezondheidszorg hertekend rond één kernidee: betrouwbare gezondheidsdata moeten veilig en doelgericht kunnen stromen - tussen patiënten, zorgverleners, onderzoekers en beleidsmakers - over de grenzen heen. Niet om data op te potten, maar om gezondheidswinst te realiseren: betere continuïteit van zorg, snellere wetenschap en veerkrachtigere systemen. Die koers krijgt juridische verankering in de Europese Health Data Space (EHDS), die sinds 26 maart 2025 van kracht is en gefaseerd wordt ingevoerd. Van losse eilanden naar een echte Europese datastructuur De EHDS bouwt een tweedelige ruggengraat: MyHealth@EU voor het primaire gebruik (zorgverlening), zodat burgers hun kerngegevens (o.a. samenvatting, e-recept, beeldvorming, labresultaten, ontslagbrieven) in een gemeenschappelijk uitwisselingsformaat kunnen meenemen en delen, ook buiten de eigen lidstaat.  HealthData@EU voor het secundaire gebruik (onderzoek, innovatie, beleid, regulering) via...

With the ongoing climate change and northward migration of mosquitos in Europe, I wonder if we should not consider changing the name of the ‘London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine’  (LSHTM) to ‘London School of Hygiene & Global Medicine’  (LSHGM) and the name of the Antwerp ‘Institute of Tropical Medicine’ (ITM) into ‘Institute of Global Medicine’ (IGM)? Also, instead of only thinking about pandemic preparedness (COVID-xx, …), should we not also consider endemic preparedness for tropical diseases moving north? Tropical species, such as mosquitoes, are moving northward as winters warm and spreading vector-borne diseases (e.g. Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, etc.). Diseases, such as Chikungunya, Dengue, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever, etc., are moving northward. It will take many years to adapt our lifestyle and healthcare systems to emerging diseases (cultural hysteresis). Think of one day sleeping under a mosquito net in Antwerp or London.

The European Union is remarkably absent as a coordinating and operational force in the current COVID-19 crisis. Why can't Europe coordinate the healthcare emergency caused by COVID-19? The reason for this is hidden deep into the roots of the European Union. We want Europe 'ma non troppo' and then we blame Europe for not being capable to act. Is there a way to create a European public and personal healthcare ecosystem, serving our European patients and our healthcare workers in a time of this COVID-19 crisis and beyond? Not within the limited framework of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU, aka The Treaty of Rome) and the Treaty on European Union (The Maastricht Treaty). According to Article 168(7) of the 'Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union', Member States are responsible for the definition of their health policy and for the organization and delivery of health services and medical care. The EU can only adopt health legi...