On this year’s World Autism Day, let’s shift the focus away from awareness to acceptance
31 Mar Health

On this year’s World Autism Day, let’s shift the focus away from awareness to acceptance

Awareness is fine, argues Julie Ward, but without acceptance it risks being contaminated by ableist paternalism
by Julie Ward
Rethinking the Orphan Regulation
19 May Health
Rethinking the Orphan Regulation
Orphan Regulation: Time for a rethink?
19 May Health
Orphan Regulation: Time for a rethink?
Shedding light on Europe’s drugs problem
22 Apr Health
Shedding light on Europe’s drugs problem
MEPs adopt new risk-based rules on psychoactive substances
17 Mar Health
MEPs adopt new risk-based rules on psychoactive substances
New rules will protect citizens by classifying 'legal' highs according to the dangers associated with them, writes Jacek Protasiewicz.
EU council misses 'opportunity' to improve product safety
17 Mar Health
EU council misses 'opportunity' to improve product safety
There is a 'lack of consistency' in EU product safety requirements and by not backing proposals member states are missing the chance to improve it, explains Sirpa Pietikäinen.
EU must play 'support role' for national alcohol strategies
11 Mar Health
EU must play 'support role' for national alcohol strategies
The EU must 'support' member states in tailoring individual approaches to tackle alcohol consumption and related harm, writes Marina Yannakoudakis.
Assessing drinking patterns 'simple and fast' way to determine risks of alcohol consumption
07 Mar Health
Assessing drinking patterns 'simple and fast' way to determine risks of alcohol consumption
Helena Conibear looks at the issues surrounding safe levels of alcohol consumption.
Fund for most deprived a 'great victory' for parliament
04 Mar Health
Fund for most deprived a 'great victory' for parliament
Marije Cornelissen believes that Europe's improved fund for the most deprived (FEAD) can make a huge difference, but it's up to member states to use it.
MEPs welcome new EU aid volunteer programme
03 Mar Health
MEPs welcome new EU aid volunteer programme
Members of the European parliament have voted in favour of the creation of a European voluntary humanitarian aid corps. Rapporteur Michèle Striffler, and shadows Corina Cretu and Bill Newton Dunn explain why.
EU can 'make a difference' in struggle against rare diseases
28 Feb Health
EU can 'make a difference' in struggle against rare diseases
Tonio Borg says the EU and member states are working to support Europe's 30-40 million sufferers of rare diseases.
Tobacco products directive: New legislative framework can 'inspire' determined action
28 Feb Health
Tobacco products directive: New legislative framework can 'inspire' determined action
Despite heavy lobbying, the tobacco industry failed to significantly dilute the EU's Tobacco products directive, writes Katrin Fjeldsted.
Tobacco products directive: MEPs vote on right side despite 'long and bumpy road'
28 Feb Health
Tobacco products directive: MEPs vote on right side despite 'long and bumpy road'
After three years in the making, endorsing the EU's tobacco products directive should be top of the council's 'to-do-list' argues Zoltán Massay-Kosubek.
Tobacco products directive: MEPs send 'strong message' on commitment to protect Europe's youth
28 Feb Health
Tobacco products directive: MEPs send 'strong message' on commitment to protect Europe's youth
Parliament's endorsement of the new tobacco products directive is a 'significant step towards' providing a more healthy future for future generations, writes Roberto Bertollini.
Strasbourg round-up: Tobacco products directive
28 Feb Health
Strasbourg round-up: Tobacco products directive
Linda McAvan, Frédérique Ries, Martin Callanan, Martina Anderson and Carl Schlyter share their views on the outcome of parliament's plenary vote on revising the EU's tobacco products directive.
28 Feb Health
Strasbourg round-up: Prostitution and sexual exploitation
Parliament's plenary vote on prostitution raised a number of issues and some division between MEPs. Here, three of parliament's key players in the debate, Mary Honeyball, Ulrike Lunacek and Inês Cristina Zuber give their views on the final report and on why many MEPs decided to put forward an alternative resolution.
Tobacco products directive: MEPs leave 'lasting health legacy' following tobacco revision vote
27 Feb Health
Tobacco products directive: MEPs leave 'lasting health legacy' following tobacco revision vote
Despite numerous delays and other attempts to derail the revision of the tobacco products directive common sense has prevailed, writes Florence Berteletti.
Strasbourg round-up: Violence against women
27 Feb Health
Strasbourg round-up: Violence against women
Violence against women continues to affect millions both in the EU and across the world. Antonyia Parvanova, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Iratxe García Pérez, Raül Romeva I Rueda, Marina Yannakoudakis and Roberta Angelilli explain why a new directive on the issue is so important.
EU institutions must play 'key role' in reducing workplace absenteeism
26 Feb Health
EU institutions must play 'key role' in reducing workplace absenteeism
Action to help people stay in work will become even more of a priority as the pension age rises and work-related stress increases, warns Linda McAvan.
EU must 'take concrete action' to protect patients' right to confidentiality
26 Feb Health
EU must 'take concrete action' to protect patients' right to confidentiality
The Hippocratic oath and professional confidentiality of physicians must be protected from the threat of electronic mass surveillance, writes Katrín Fjeldsted.
European Respiratory Society welcomes EU vote on making tobacco products less attractive to children.
25 Feb Health
European Respiratory Society welcomes EU vote on making tobacco products less attractive to children.
The European Respiratory Society welcomes EU vote on legislation to make tobacco products less attractive to children.
Dods EUM: EP ENVI - Workshop on 'Towards a European Cancer Information System'
25 Feb Health
Dods EUM: EP ENVI - Workshop on "Towards a European Cancer Information System"
On February 12, Policy Department A of the European Parliament organised a workshop for the ENVI Committee on "Towards a European Cancer Information System”. Below is a summary of the discussion
EU has 'highest' level of alcohol use and related harm
13 Feb Health
EU has 'highest' level of alcohol use and related harm
Europe has the perception that there is a safe level of alcohol consumption, but the truth is there’s no such thing, argues Lars Møller.

 
EU pushes 'people-centred' response to extreme poverty
10 Feb Health
EU pushes 'people-centred' response to extreme poverty
Europe's fund for aid to the most deprived can play a vital role in improving the lives of people existing in society's margins, writes Emer Costello.
Strasbourg round-up: Undocumented women migrants in EU facing abuse and exploitation
07 Feb Health
Strasbourg round-up: Undocumented women migrants in EU facing abuse and exploitation
MEPs have narrowly approved a call for undocumented women migrants in the EU to receive better protection. Key rapporteurs from across the political spectrum give the Parliament Magazine their views following the plenary vote.
Issue 383 | 3 February 2014
03 Feb Health
Issue 383 | 3 February 2014
World cancer day, carbon capture and storage, Gibraltar and more...
EU 'legally obliged' to promote disability inclusion
28 Jan Health
EU 'legally obliged' to promote disability inclusion
As a signatory to the UN convention, the EU has a responsibility to 'lead by example' and promote disability inclusion both home and abroad, writes Luk Zelderloo.
EU institutions prepared to fight lobbyists and protect citizens from 'harm and suffering caused by tobacco'
18 Dec Health
EU institutions prepared to fight lobbyists and protect citizens from 'harm and suffering caused by tobacco'
Tobacco industry 'Goliath' has not yet won the war over the tobacco products directive, argues Florence Berteletti.