Other News

Migraine is the number one cause of disability affecting people under the age of fifty years  ( the group with the highest contribution to workforce worldwide) making one of the highest negative economic impacts globally(1).  According to the latest analysis from the GBD study, almost 3 billion people had a headache disorder in 2016: 1.89 billion had a diagnosis of tension-type headache, and 1.04 billion had a diagnosis of migraine(2). Migraine was responsible for 45.12 million years of life lived with disability (YLD), with a peak in prevalence in women between 15 and 49 years(3). One in seven suffer from this disabling, least respected, worst managed, least recognised complex brain disorder worldwide(5).

Governmental Expert Group on Dementia holds second meeting The European Group of Governmental Experts on Dementia held its second meeting on 17 and 18 June 2019 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 20 European countries were represented at the meeting, in addition to representatives from the 2nd European Joint Action on Dementia (Act on Dementia/DEM2), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Alzheimer Europe.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the European Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics (ESNCH) was signed in June 2019. The ESNCH is the most successful neurosonology group worldwide bringing together the world’s experts, thus representing an excellent platform for young researchers to present their work, gain experience and start a scientific collaboration.

Task Force Regulatory Affairs and Medical Devices Workshop on Medical Device Registries: The BioMed Alliance organised a joint workshop on Medical Device Registries with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) on 17 June. The programme included speakers from the European Commission, member societies, a notified body, industry, the European Medicines Agency and experts who manage successful registries across Europe.

EFNA goes global and attends the WHA – World Health Assembly UN Geneva Headquarters from May 20 – 28 2019. Diseases know no borders. Only by truly pooling our resources and going beyond our individual disease areas, our constituencies and countries, do we stand a chance of adequately addressing the challenges of ill-health and inequalities.

EU Buzz: European elections, Horizon Europe and the fight for brain research May has been a busy period in Brussels. Even though the European institutions slowed down due to preparations for the European Parliamentary elections, health societies, research organizations and experts in Brussels are busy planning for the future.

The first speakers have been announced for the 12th FENS Forum of Neuroscience in Glasgow, UK, on 11-15 July 2020. With 56 parallel symposia, the FENS Forum covers all neuroscience, from understanding basic mechanisms of brain function to disease.

Alistair Newton, who has been well-known to many EAN members as a patient advocate, was a founding committee member and long-serving officer of both EFNA and European Brain Council, as well as founder president of Dystonia Europe.

Following the European Parliament elections between 23-26 May, Alzheimer Europe’s #DementiaPledge2019 campaign has drawn to a close. With 230 candidates signed up to the pledge, Alzheimer Europe broke its record of 219 candidates signed up in the 2014 election.

We hear from the European Federation of Neurological Associations – EFNA on the special sessions being organised at the upcoming 5th EAN Congress taking place in Oslo, Norway (June 29 – July2, 2019).

In the continuity of the Value of Treatment research activities, new case studies have been developed on new therapeutic areas. On March 26th, May 23rd and September 24th 2018, EBC in collaboration with the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA) launched a second round “VoT2” of case studies on Rare Neurological Disorders (RNDs) focusing upon Ataxia, Dystonia and Phenylketonuria

In 2018, STOA completed two Scientific Foresight projects, on assistive technologies for people with disabilities, and on 3D bio-printing for medical and enhancement purposes, while preparing the ground for a new project on alternative options for crop protection in farming practices.

READING RECCOMENDATIONS: NEWS FROM OTHER SOCIETIES

Publication on the roles of the medical profession and the industry on CME The BioMedical Alliance is a unique organisation representing 30 leading European medical societies (including EAN) that together represent more than 400,000 researchers and health professionals.

Prof. Gunther Deuschl’s, EAN Past-President, outstanding contribution to the movement disorders field was awarded during the 2019 AAN Congress in Philadelphia (PA), on May 6.