Reforming Pharmaceutical Policies in the European Union: A “Penguin Effect”?

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. Guillén ◽  
Laura Cabiedes
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Pharmaceutical Policies ◽  
Limited Effectiveness ◽  
Equity And Efficiency ◽  
Pharmaceutical Spending

Pharmaceutical policies form a substantial part of health care services, from the point of view of both equity and efficiency goals. Expenditure on pharmaceuticals has been growing steadily over the last few decades, and countries are finding the financing of drugs increasingly difficult. This article surveys the changes in pharmaceutical policies in the E.U. countries from the mid-1980s through the 1990s. It focuses primarily on policies dealing with cost control of publicly funded pharmaceuticals. In their analysis of these changes, the authors classify policies (or “packages of measures”), map out their incidence in each country, and assess their impact on the control of public pharmaceutical spending. They conclude that the E.U. countries are taking up apparently similar measures—dressing like penguins in a row—despite the limited effectiveness and limited evaluation of many of the measures adopted. The authors also analyze the role of national and international actors (most prominently, the European Union) in defining public pharmaceutical policies; look at how innovative policy ideas could be connected with the economic, political, and social interests that mold public action in this field; and propose new lines of investigation.

Making sense of human rights in the context of European Union health-care policy: individualist and communitarian views

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle da Costa Leite Borges
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
European Union ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Care Policy ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Right

AbstractThis article discusses the European Union health-care policy from a human rights law point of view. It departs from the analysis of international and European human rights documents in order to identify core elements and principles associated with the right to access health-care services. These elements and principles are then used to distinguish between individualist and communitarian views of health-care rights and to argue that a human rights approach to the right to access health-care services promotes a communitarian view of this right whereas European Union health-care policy has been promoting an individualist view of this right.

scholarly journals E-HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SUBSIDIARITY PRINCIPLE. COMMENTS AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF POLISH LAW

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-40
Author(s):  
Leszek Sobieski
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
European Union ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Care Services ◽  
New Information ◽  
Subsidiarity Principle ◽  
Information And Communication

In the article an attempt was made to present the assumptions of Polish legislative solutions concerning e-health in the context of one of the basic principles of European philosophical and legal thought – the principle of subsidiarity. The principle of subsidiarity, the essence of which is to leave it to the political communities to carry out tasks for which they can take responsibility, has been incorporated into the legislation of nation states and the European Union, determiningthe identity of European civilisation. Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland are an example of the translation of the subsidiarity principle into legal norms. Attention has been paid to the possibility of decentralising and delegating competences to lower levels of public authority in the field of health, using or amending the e-health legislation accordingly. Appropriate division of tasks and competences in the area of health care, taking into account the subsidiarity principle, can be observed at both national and EU level. European Union law recognises the autonomy of the Member States to define national health regulations. On the basis of selected national and EU regulations, a definition of e-health has been proposed, understood as a set of provisions within the health care system regulating the collection, processing of data and provision of health care services in order to identify and optimise the satisfaction of individual and collective health needs as well as to pursue an effective health policy by public authorities. The basic assumptions of key national and EU legal acts are also indicated. On the basis of the solutions adopted in the Act on Health Care Services Financed from Public Funds, the formal possibility of delegating and effective performance of tasks has been demonstrated in the field of health protection by local government units. New information and communication technologies provide the basis for a more complete implementation of the subsidiarity principle in health protection, as they enable the necessary knowledge on the collective and individual health needs at European, national and any other expected level – regional, population, age to be gathered and transferred. They are a tool, previously unavailable, for the precise identification of the needs of separated communities. On the other hand, new technologies can be a tool for communities to meet these needs to the extent that they are able to provide organisational and financial security. The combination of new information and communication technologies with the application of a systematic concept of tasks implementation based on the principle of subsidiarity will allow for a change in the model of health care in Poland.

Austrian Veto against European Union Membership Negotiations with Turkey

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-122
Author(s):  
Ewa Kaczan-Winiarska
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Negotiation Process ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Strategic Partner ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
European Standards ◽  
The Eu

The Austrian government is extremely sceptical about the accession negotiations which are conducted by the European Commission on behalf of the European Union with Turkey and calls for the negotiation process to end. Serious reservations of Vienna have been raised by the current political situation in Turkey under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as by the standards of democracy in Turkey, which differ greatly from European standards. Serious deficiencies in rule of law, freedom of speech and independence of the judiciary, confirmed in the latest European Commission report on Turkey, do not justify, from Vienna’s point of view, the continuation of talks with Ankara on EU membership. In fact, Austria’s scepticism about the European perspective for Turkey has a longer tradition. This was marked previously in 2005 when the accession negotiations began. Until now, Austria’s position has not had enough clout within the European arena. Pragmatic cooperation with Turkey as a strategic partner of the EU, both in the context of the migration crisis and security policy, proved to be a key factor. The question is whether Austria, which took over the EU presidency from 1.7.2018, will be able to more strongly accentuate its reservations about Turkey and even build an alliance of Member States strong enough to block Turkey’s accession process.

scholarly journals European Regional Inequalities: The Other Face of Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Celeste Perrucchini ◽  
Hiroshi Ito
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Capita Income ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Per Capita Income ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Per Capita

Empirical evidence suggests an overall convergence in terms of GDP and per capita income occurring among the European Union (EU) Member States. Nevertheless, economic inequalities have been increasing at the regional level within European Union countries. Through the review of relevant literature, this study analyzes the increasing inequalities from an economical point of view, focusing on Italy and the UK as examples. First, a general overlook of the empirical evidence of the GDP and per capita income at national and sub-national levels will be presented. Second, an explanation of the possible causes of the results will be proposed through the use of economical and sociological theories. The findings of this research might uncover the relative inefficacy of EU Cohesion policies and point towards the necessity for deeper and more thoughtful measures to continue the convergence of Member States while preserving internal equilibria. This paper ends with discussions for the future directions of the EU.

Understanding untreated hypertension from patients’ point of view: A qualitative study in rural Yogyakarta province, Indonesia

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riana Rahmawati ◽  
Beata Bajorek
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
High Blood Pressure ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Rural Villages ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Alternative Medicines ◽  
One Year ◽  
Untreated Hypertension

Objectives This study aimed to explore perspectives about hypertension from patients who do not take anti-hypertensive medications. Factors that shape their perspectives as well as patients’ expectations were also canvassed. Method Individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 30 people (≥45 years old) living in rural villages, diagnosed with hypertension, who had not taken any anti-hypertensive medications for at least one year. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Results Four themes emerged: (1) alternative medicines for managing high blood pressure; (2) accessing health care services; (3) the need for anti-hypertensive medications; and (4) existing support and patients’ expectations. Reluctance to take anti-hypertensive medications was influenced by patients’ beliefs in personal health threats and the effectiveness of anti-hypertensive medications, high self-efficacy for taking alternative medicines, the lack of recommendation regarding hypertension treatment, and barriers to accessing supplies of medicines. Conclusion Despite their awareness of being diagnosed with hypertension, patients undervalued visiting a health professional to control their high blood pressure. Health strategies need to consider patients’ beliefs, concerns and expectations. Providing an accessible, affordable and adequate supply of hypertension medication is also key to any programs designed to optimise hypertension management.

Multilingualism and the Ideal of Unity in Diversity in the European Union. Key Concepts and Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-282
Author(s):  
Roxana-Maria Nistor-Gâz ◽  
Delia Pop-Flanja
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Tower Of Babel ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Unity In Diversity ◽  
The Ideal

"In a world challenged by cultural diversity, this article aims to look at the great diversity of languages and cultures that coexist within the European Union. Building on the story of the Tower of Babel that explains, from a religious point of view, the cultural and linguistic diversity existing in the European Union, the authors tried to contextualize EU’s motto of “unity in diversity”, interpreted as an ideal involving a lot of effort and sometimes even many conflicts, but one that we should all fight for and strive to maintain. Keywords: linguistic diversity, ethnicity, nation, minority, majority, communication, unity in diversity"

TRENDS IN THE FORMATION OF POLAND'S ENERGY POLICY IN THE FUEL AND ENERGY SECTOR OF THE EU COUNTRIES

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 167-173
Author(s):  
Mihail V. Rybin ◽  
◽  
Alexander A. Stepanov ◽  
Nadezhda V. Morozova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Regional Programs ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Fuel And Energy Sector

The article reveals and analyzes conceptual approaches to the formation of strategic directions of energy policy of the European Union and Poland in the first decades of the XXI century. A critical assess-ment is given from the point of view of international cooperation in the field of energy between the Russian Federation, Poland and the EU as a whole and, in particular, European, national and regional programs for the transformation of the fuel and energy sector in the conditions of decarbonization and transition to green energy.

scholarly journals The crisis of European spatial development policy

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejan Djordjevic ◽  
Tijana Dabovic
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Spatial Development ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Specific Point ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
Spatial Policy ◽  
Development Perspective

Although the European Union has no formal authority in the area of spatial policy, in sectoral policies can have a clear spatial impact. In this sense it conducts a de facto - and usually uncoordinated - form of spatial policy. An informal policy document produced six years ago sought to remedy this by offering an embryonic form of European spatial policy: the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). So far, no follow-up has been produced. Is this because the current document is sufficient for addressing Europe's spatial issues or because interest in this endeavor has waned? Or are we simply in a period of transition towards a new ESDP? This brief review deals with those dilemmas, from a specific point of view of the observers, both curious and worried.

scholarly journals Comentarios a la propuesta del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo del certificado verde digital. Protección de datos sanitarios y análisis ético jurídico

Bioderecho.es ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria María González Suárez
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Free Movement ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Legal Questions ◽  
Ethical Point ◽  
The Right

Con motivo de la situación actual a la que nos enfrentamos por la pandemia de la COVID-19 se ha planteado en diversas ocasiones la implantación de un certificado verde digital. El 17 de marzo de 2021 la Comisión Europea presentó una propuesta de creación del certificado con el fin de facilitar el ejercicio del derecho a la libre circulación dentro de la Unión Europea durante la pandemia. Todo ello plantea diversas cuestiones jurídicas en cuanto a la protección de datos sanitarios, el derecho a la libre circulación y la eficacia y proporcionalidad de medidas que deben ser objeto de análisis tanto desde el punto de vista jurídico como del punto de vista ético ya que, en ciertas ocasiones la aplicación de medidas puede afectar al derecho a la igualdad de los ciudadanos. Due to the current situation we are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of a digital green certificate has been proposed on several occasions. On March 17, 2021, the European Commission presented a proposal to create the certificate in order to facilitate the exercise of the right of free movement within the European Union during the pandemic. All this raises various legal questions regarding the protection of health data, the right of free movement and the efficacy and proportionality of measures that must be analyzed from both the legal and ethical point of view since, on certain occasions the application of measures may affect the right of equality of citizens.

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