European Patients' Forum (EPF)

The European Patients Forum (EPF) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the targeted revision of the EU regulations for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices. The revision should focus on reducing unnecessary administrative burdens that do not contribute to patient safety, information, or transparency, while contributing to more equitable access to safe and effective devices for all patients.

The European Patients Forum welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposals for the post-2027 MFF. EPF is concerned about the absence of a dedicated, stand-alone health budget within the proposed European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).

The European Patients Forum (EPF) welcomes the long-awaited revision of the EU pharmaceutical legislation. This is a unique opportunity to make the EU regulatory framework for the authorisation of medicines more patient-centred, aiming for fair access to medicines.

The European Patients' Forum (EPF) believes that embedding meaningful patient involvement in everything that affects the patients’ own access to medicines and care is key for tackling medicines shortages, evaluating new medicines, and making the medicines’ supply chain more efficient. It is critical to reduce inequity in access to medicines.

EPF welcomes the EC’s endeavours to develop a European framework for artificial intelligence (AI) based on excellence, trust, human rights, and fundamental values. In healthcare, it is essential to adopt an approach aimed at ensuring the creation of an ethical, transparent, and trustworthy AI within an environment that fosters innovation bringing concrete added value to patients.

The European Patients Forum (EPF) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the European Commissions Call for Evidence on the forthcoming EU Biotech Act. As an umbrella organisation representing patient organisations across Europe and across disease areas, EPF is calling for the EU Biotech Act to ensure a patient-centred health innovation agenda that places patients at the heart of this initiative.

The European Patients’ Forum (EPF) welcomes the ambition to establish an overarching framework for the exchange and sharing of health data. Appropriate use of health data can improve health systems’ sustainability, increase the quality, safety and patient-centredness of healthcare, and transform care into a more participatory process.

Health is an area where Europe can undoubtedly benefit from the data revolution. Proper use of health data can improve health systems’ sustainability, foster disease prevention, increase the quality, safety and patient-centredness of healthcare, decrease costs and transform care into a more participatory process.

Given the upcoming proposal for a European Health Data Space (EHDS), EPF welcomes the request for a regulation on European data governance (Data Governance Act), which will serve as a horizontal framework for data governance across the different sectoral data spaces.

The European Patients Forum (EPF) is an umbrella organisation of patient organisations across Europe and across disease-areas. Our 78 members include disease-specific patient groups active at EU level and national coalitions of patients.

The European Patients Forum (EPF) welcomes the publication of the first draft Implementing Act (IA) under the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and acknowledges the key role of the EHDS Board in ensuring coherent, trustworthy and effective implementation of the Regulation across the EU.

The European Patients’ Forum welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Our response focuses on two main aspects. > Tackling infectious and chronic diseases at European level EPF supports the extension of the ECDC’s mandate to improve preparedness, surveillance, risk assessment, early warning and response to future cross-border health threats, as well as smooth cooperation between ECDC and other agencies…

EPF welcomes the proposal to extend the EMA’s mandate and resources. The EMA plays an important role in protecting public health in the EU. We believe it does not go far enough and can be improved. > Addressing medicines shortages Shortages are a systemic problem that predates COVID-19, though it was brought into relief by the pandemic.