COCIR welcomes the European Commission’s statement that it wants to steer innovation on Active and Healthy Ageing. As a key stakeholder and innovator, the medical technology industry represented by COCIR, including healthcare IT companies, believes its objective to create a sustainable healthcare system is in line with the European Commission’s Innovation Partnership but also the European Year for Active Ageing 2012 which has just been announced by the EU.
Last November, the Innovation Union flagship initiative selected active and healthy ageing as the 1st pilot of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP), led jointly by DG SANCO and DG INFSO. The Active and Healthy Ageing Partnership (AHAIP) aims to add an average of two years of healthy life for citizens in Europe. The Steering Group met for the first time on 2 May in Brussels. A Strategic Implementation Plan is expected by October, for formal endorsement by the European Parliament and EU Council.
In addition, on 29 April, the Commission officially announced the European Year 2012 for Active Ageing at a conference marking the 3rd EU Day of solidarity between generations. The hope is that this new action led by DG EMPLOYMENT as well as the Active and Healthy Ageing Partnership will increase awareness and visibility of the matter and create synergies for a better deployment of technologies which promote healthy ageing.
COCIR and its members have developed unique expertise and knowledge which are instrumental in allowing people to live longer, healthier and more independently. Innovative medical technologies offer the potential to transform both the quality and efficiency of healthcare and make our health systems more sustainable. This is especially important in a time of growing prevalence of chronic disease, budget cuts and healthcare professional shortages.
Given that today 70-80% of the resources in healthcare are dedicated to symptom-based, advanced diseases, more attention must be given to prevention and early diagnosis to delay or interrupt the onset of chronic diseases. In this context, COCIR is convinced of the need for the creation of a multi-stakeholder partnership focusing on chronic disease management and in particular on the aspects linked to prevention.
COCIR believes that it is crucial that key stakeholders (including care givers, patients, insurers, nurses, governments) join forces to explore new approaches and business models in this field, including:
· Insights into the development and management of major chronic diseases
· The socio-behavioural aspects of connecting to and motivating patients, including elements related to compliance to treatment, lifestyle and social connectedness
· A comprehensive set of enabling technologies, ranging from devices for personal health monitoring, to ICT-based products, providing a functional link between patients and care providers.
AThe goals of the AHAIP and of the European Year for Active Ageing are fully in line with the objectives of COCIR and its members in promoting prevention and empowering patients to manage their own health. COCIR strongly supports the European Commission in making active and healthy ageing a top priority on the political agenda.
References:
1. COCIR response to AHAIP public consultation on 28 Jan. 2011:
2. Results of public consultation on 08 April 2011: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ageing/consultations/ageing_cons_01_en.htm
3. DG EMPL conference programme “Towards the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations (2012)” on 29 April 2011:
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=88&langId=en&eventsId=335&furtherEvents=yes
4. European Commission Press Release on 2 May 2011: