President and Executive Director of TIF meet with new EU Health Commissioner John Dalli in Brussels.

TIF pushes to make thalassaemia a priority on the European health agenda

Many of the health policies being developed and promoted at the European level are relevant for the promotion of chronic and rare diseases globally. They form the basis on which other countries can tailor their own national policies to meet their own needs. Therefore, a way to promote the global voice of thalassaemia patients is by advocating their needs to the EU Health Commissioner. The post of the EU Commissioner Designate for Health and Consumer Policy was held until the beginning of this year by Androulla Vassiliou. In February this year a new Commissioner was named, Mr John Dalli.

TIF’s President Mr Panos Englezos and TIF’s Executive Director Dr Androulla Eleftheriou met with the new Commissioner in Brussels, Belgium, on 5th October to discuss thalassaemia and TIF’s activities in Europe. Attending was also the Adviser and former Vice President of FIODS-IFBDO (International Federation of Blood Donors Organisations) and current Vice President of the Malta Blood Donors Association (MBDA), Philip M Chircop.

The Commissioner was updated on the pathophysiology and clinical development of thalassaemia, as well as on prevention and treatment strategies, but also on the current status of epidemiology, health services, and control strategies in Europe. In the course of the meeting, it was stressed that the health care system in most European countries is of high quality, and therefore with small yet essential alterations and with coordination of the existing health services, control of thalassaemia and other haemoglobin disorders like sickle cell disease can be considerably improved.

Commissioner Dalli expressed his sincere understanding and interest in the above issues, and made some important commitments to the President of TIF, Mr Englezos, sending a very optimistic message to all patients with thalassaemia both in Europe and the world.

Concluding the meeting, on behalf of the TIF Board of Directors, Mr Panos Englezos invited Commissioner Dalli to attend and address the opening ceremony of the 12th International Conference on Thalassaemia and the Haemoglobinopathies & the 14th TIF International Conference for Patients and Parents on 11th – 14th of May 2010, which will take place in Antalya, Turkey.