EURO HEALTH Podcast

In this episode of the Euro Health Podcast, we discuss with MEP Tomislav Sokol the achievements of the European Parliament in the area of public health over the past four years, and the key priorities for the term to come, following the parliamentary elections next year.

Health has been a priority for the European Union during the current term, due to the number of crises the EU had to face and still is facing, from the Covid-19 pandemic to the subsequent aggravation of the mental state of Europeans. Responding to these crises requires a coordinated response, as well as access and sharing of data on a Union scale. In this regard, Tomislav Sokol is the Rapporteur of the proposal for a European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation. He exposed how the Regulation aims at making full use of digital tools to provide better ad more efficient healthcare.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, are another great threat to health, as the leading cause of avoidable premature deaths in the EU. MEP Sokol is part of the discussions on a report setting specific objectives and proposing concrete measures to improve early diagnosis and promote medical innovation. The report also highlights how socio-economic inequalities play an important role in the developing NCDs. But the way to tackle lifestyle-related diseases has sparked controversy in the hemicycle, between the advocates of proposing less harmful alternatives, such as MEP Sokol, and the supporters of stricter regulation of such substances.

🗣SPEAKER
Tomislav Sokol, a Croatian national, has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since his election in 2019. He is affiliated with the European People’s Party (EPP), the Christian-Democratic group in the European Parliament.

As an MEP, Tomislav Sokol deals with policies related to the internal market, consumer protection and public health. He was involved in the drafting of the Report on the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Report on Beating Cancer. He is currently the rapporteur on the proposal for a European Health Data Space and also takes an active role in the drafting of the report on Non-Communicable Diseases.

🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST 

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček. 
 

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In the 10th episode of the 2nd season of the Euro Health Podcast, we explored the perception of risk in society and its implications for public health policies. Our guest, Dr. David Eberhard, talked about a “national panic syndrome” in his book “In the land of Security Junkies”. As society gets safer, people increasingly demand to be protected from even mundane risks and become more mentally vulnerable to the normally occurring hazards of life, developing anxiety and depression. In addition, Dr. Eberhard explained that poor mental health is closely linked to the emergence of addictive behaviors and substance abuse, such as tobacco. We therefore asked Dr. Eberhard how Sweden became the country with the lowest smoking prevalence in Europe, and what obstacles prevent the Swedish experience to be applied in other countries.

🗣SPEAKER

Dr. David Eberhard is a Swedish psychiatrist, writer, columnist and lecturer. Previously, he was chief physician at the psychiatric emergency department at Sankt Göran's hospital and until 2022 he was the CEO of a private healthcare company. He started his carrer in psychiatry as a doctor and mental health nurse. Dr. Eberhard particularly focuses on the perception of psychiatric risks. He wrote “In the land of Security Junkies” which he completed and presented on over the years. The book assesses how people are seeking psychiatric help for normally occurring life events and how the population is increasingly affected by anxiety and other mental health issues. He theorized a ‘national panic syndrom’ steming from the search for greater safety, prompting society to exaggeratedly demand the ban of perceived dangerous speeches, behaviours and substances. He therefore advocates for better management of risks, rather than prohibition.

🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček.

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Tomáš Jirsa: https://twitter.com/tomasjirsa?s=21

Jan Klusáček:  https://twitter.com/janklusacek?s=21

A new episode of the Euro Health podcast discusses dual disorders, which are a combination of mental disorders and substance addiction. Around half of the people who suffer from a mental disorder will also have a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. In this episode, Dr José Martínez Raga, Vice-President of the Spanish Society of Dual Disorders explains this diagnosis and discusses how dual disorders relate to the mental health and addiction debate. He also touches upon the ways in which the Spanish government deals with mental health and how Spanish society approaches dual disorders. Dr Raga also looks ahead and discusses the priorities of the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Find out more in a new episode of the podcast.

SPEAKER

Dr. José Martínez Raga – is the Vice-President of the Spanish Society of Dual Disorders (SEPD), and is also serving as the Head of the Psychiatry Department at the University Hospital Doctor Peset of Valencia, Spain. He also works as a lecturer at the University of Valencia Medical School. Dr. Martínez Raga, MD, is a highly accomplished professional in the field of psychiatry and addiction medicine. With an extensive background and passion for patient care, research, and education, he has made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of dual disorders, ADHD in adults, and addiction. Dr. José Martínez-Raga received his Medical Degree from the University of Valencia Medical School, where he also completed a master’s degree in Drug Addiction. Later on, Dr. Martínez-Raga obtained a Ph.D., having conducted a study as a Research Fellow in Psychiatry at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts, USA). Furthermore, he also completed his specialist psychiatric training at the Maudsley and Bethlem Hospitals in London (1996– 2000). Since then, he has returned to Spain, and until 2012 has been working as the coordinator of an outpatient Addiction Behaviours Unit within the Spanish National Health Service psychiatrist within the Spanish National Health Service. Since 2012, he has been the Head of the Psychiatry Department at the University Hospital Doctor Peset of Valencia.

EURO HEALTH PODCAST
 Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček.
 
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#08 David Zaruk - EURO HEALTH Podcast

The guest on the eighth episode of the second series of the Euro Health podcast is David Zaruk. As a member of the team that founded GreenFacts to promote the wider use of evidence-based decision-making in the EU on environmental and health issues, he has been working on the topic of risk and science communications for many years. What was the path to his current profession and why did he choose this topic? David Zaruk says the reason was to make scientific information more accessible to non-experts, journalists, and politicians and to help people learn to put risks in perspective and remove the fear of risk management. What does the very name of his blog "The Risk-Monger" convey in terms of his vision and idea?

In this episode, David Zaruk also talks about the role of risk management and risk reduction policies in the context of major health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the UN's World No Tobacco Day. How to manage risks in the context of a public health crisis? How to ensure that the EU's policies are based on evidence? Watch the new episode of the Euro Health podcast. 

🗣SPEAKER

David Zaruk, The Risk-Monger - has been an EU risk and science communications specialist since 2000. He is also part of the team that set up GreenFacts to encourage the wider use of evidence-based decision-making in the EU on environmental health matters. His expertise revolves around the issues of risk management in health and sustainability policy and science communication. He was a professor at Odisee University College, Université Saint-Louis, and Vesalius College where he lectured on Communications, Marketing, EU Lobbying, and Public Relations. Before that, for 12 years, he was employed by Solvay, Cefic, and BursonMarsteller. He also writes a blog under the pseudonym: The Risk-Monger, assessing the European use of evidence in environmental-health policy management.

🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST 

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček.

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Is it possible to draw a link between the socioeconomic status of individuals and addiction? This is one of the main questions addressed in a new episode of the Euro Health Podcast with Prof. Aileen O'Gorman whose work focuses on social inequalities in health and substance use disorders.

 In the podcast, Prof. Aileen O´Gorman explains why certain population groups are at a higher risk of getting into substance use problems. What explains the high number of drug-related deaths among young people? Prof. O'Gorman says that one of the reasons is the system's inability to address co-existing mental health and substance use problems. What could be the specific solutions to this problem? How does she perceive the current interest of the younger generation in substance abuse education and risk protection? Find the answers to these questions and more in a new episode of the podcast on the subject of "addiction from a socioeconomic perspective".

 SPEAKER

Aileen O'Gorman BA MSc PhD is a Professor of Substance Use and Social Policy and Programme Leader of the MSc in Contemporary Drug and Alcohol Studies (CDAS) at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). Her primary research focus is on social and health inequalities, especially the problematization of social issues such as poverty and drug use; the unequal distribution of drug-related harms and deaths in marginalized communities; and, the role of policy in the minimization of harms. Prior to joining UWS, Prof. O’Gorman was a Lecturer and Co-ordinator of the Drugs Education and Research Partnership Initiative at University College Dublin (UCD), senior researcher at the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, Ireland,  community researcher on the Fatima Mansions (Dublin) housing regeneration project, and a researcher at the Health Research Board, Ireland. Dr. O’Gorman is an active participant in policy advocacy and research networks nationally and internationally. She is an appointed member of the Scotting Government’s Drugs Research Network Scotland (DRNS), Board Director of the Scottish Drugs Forum, and a member of the international editorial board of the journal ‘Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy’.

EURO HEALTH PODCAST

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček.

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The guest on the 6th episode of the 2nd season of the Euro Health Podcast is Prof. Eric Vermetten who focuses on medical-biological and psychiatric aspects of psychotrauma at the University of Leiden. Prof. Vermetten also worked as a military psychiatrist for the Dutch Ministry of Defence for 25 years. Currently, he is involved in the treatment of war veterans with novel technologies and novel drug developments such as MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine. 

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are taking their toll on the population. Prof. Vermetten estimates that 14% of the population will suffer depressive disorders in the coming years. How to address this? A sustained approach to mental health and the education of the population is key to tackling this mental health pandemic, as Prof. Vermetten explained.  At the EU level, the upcoming Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health is a step in the right direction. However, Prof. Vermetten believes that innovative treatments for mental health could be ground-breaking. What are Prof. Vermetten’s hopes for the future? What’s his take on the use of innovative therapies, especially in the context of war veterans? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the new episode of the Euro Health podcast.

🗣SPEAKER

Prof. Dr. HGJM Eric Vermetten is a clinical psychiatrist who has been working with war veterans and other uniformed officers. He used to seve as a Strategic Advisor and a Head of Research, Military Mental Health for the Dutch Ministry of Defense. Prof. Vermetten deals with medical, biological and psychiatric aspects of psychotrauma. He focuses on PTSD as well as new medications such as MDMA or psilocybin. Prof. Vermetten is trained in the Netherlands as well as in the USA in psychiatry and neuroscience (Stanford, Yale, and Emory University). His research is in the field of stress, trauma, complex PTSD and neuroscience. He has published over 200 papers, 30 book chapters, and edited several books on this topic.


🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST 

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček. 

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The guest on the 5th episode of the 2nd season of the Euro Health Podcast is Mika Salminen, the Director of Infectious Diseases at the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL).

What does it mean to live with AIDS or HIV nowadays? Mika Salminen says that the situation has changed fundamentally over the last 25 years. Of course, the disease can cause serious health problems, but with the medicines that have been developed in those 25 years, an infected person can have a normal life without fear of health problems, if the drugs are applied in time. The patient still has the virus in his/her body but he/she is asymptomatic.

In this episode of the podcast, we will address the question of whether this effective medicine is available outside Europe, especially in Africa, which is the most affected by the HIV pandemic. We will also consider the current situation in Europe and the Czech Republic, and the links between HIV infection, drug addiction, and sexual orientation. And we will look into the availability of tests, the different approaches to drug addicts in different countries, and last but not least the attitude of society towards the infected and whether they are still stigmatized despite radical changes in the treatment?

 SPEAKER

Mika Salminen is the Director of Infectious Diseases at the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL). This department is responsible for monitoring health, promoting the social and psychological well-being of the population, and researching the effectiveness of the social welfare and health care system. Mika Salminen previously worked as the coordinator of the Joint Action on HIV and Co-Infection Prevention and Harm Reduction (HA-REACT). The project aimed at contributing to the elimination of HIV and the reduction of tuberculosis and viral hepatitis among people who inject drugs in the EU by 2020. It focused on Member States with gaps in effective and evidence-based interventions. Prior to the Joint Action, Mika Salminen was involved in harm reduction programmes targeting particularly vulnerable populations. He has also been a member of the ECDC Advisory Forum and Chair of the National HIV/AIDS Expert Group.

EURO HEALTH PODCAST

Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček.

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“One of the most interesting half a year I have ever had.” With these words, Czech Deputy Minister of Health, Jakub Dvořáček begins the fourth episode of the Euro Health podcast episode on the topic of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. Did the Czech politicians achieve everything they wanted to achieve in the field of the European Health Union? What were the main priorities of the Ministry of Health at the European level? 
Minister Dvořáček says that one of the key themes was oncology - not only the implementation of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan but also a renewed focus on cancer screening. Other important topics included rare diseases and the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Deputy Minister, the discussions on the pandemic will continue to be an important topic at the EU level, not only because of the development of the pandemic but also because of the search for a solution to the oversupply of COVID-19 vaccines. 
Deputy Minister also talks about the medical support offered to Ukrainian citizens fleeing to Europe during the Czech Presidency, and how to prepare for a possible escalation of this situation in the future.  Find out answers to these questions and much more in the new episode of the Euro Health Podcast. 

🗣SPEAKER
Mr. Jakub Dvořáček was appointed Minister Válek’s political Deputy Minister shortly after the election of the new government in late 2021. Prior to joining the Ministry of Health, Dvořáček acted as the Executive Director of the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry (AIFP) since 2011. He was also the Chair of the board of the National Organization for the Authentication of Medicines (NOOL). From 2009–2011, he worked in the investment division of CzechInvest, the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s investment agency, where he was responsible for foreign direct investment in Czechia and the administration of the agency's network of foreign representations. He also previously served as an advisor to the Minister of Education, Physical Education, and Sport and was also active in the non-profit sector where he was in charge of managing large-scale awareness-raising campaigns and development and humanitarian projects around the world.
                                                                                                                          
🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST  
Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. The podcast is hosted by Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.

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In the third episode of the Euro Health podcast speaks Theodora Calinescu, Project Manager at the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). Are we successful in reducing the number of deaths on EU roads? Theodora Calinescu says Europe's roads are among the safest and the results have been steadily improving over the last 20 years, but the safety difference between EU Member states is wide. They can be described by the different approaches of a country depending on its road safety tradition. What are the measures to prevent accidents, do new technologies such as the self-driving car have the potential to improve road safety, or do they may, on the contrary, cause harm? What are the statistics on deaths on the roads and serious injuries on European roads in recent years? How have traffic restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic affected accident rates? The answers to these and other questions can be found in the new episode of Euro Health.

🗣SPEAKER 
Theodora Calinescu is a Project Manager at the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). She is a Romanian national who joined the ETSC team in 2016 and manages EU Road Safety Exchange, an EU-funded project that aims to tackle road safety disparities among EU Member States. She previously worked for The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) is a Brussels-based independent non-profit making organization dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries in transport in Europe. ETSC provides an impartial source of expert advice on transport safety matters to the European Commission, the European Parliament, and national governments.


🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST 
Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. The podcast is hosted by Jan Klusáček.

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Jan Klusáček: https://twitter.com/janklusacek?s=21