Zika virus circulation has decreased but there is a possibility of its emergence or re-emergence in all areas with competent mosquito vectors.

Levetiracetam and NOACs

As a follow-up to the survey on the renovation of the ICH Good Clinical Practice Guidelines (ICH E6) conducted in August, the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI) has launched a new open comment opportunity which enables specific comments to be collected.

Created in 1983, the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) is the main association representing psychiatry in Europe. It speaks on behalf of the 80,000 European psychiatrists, as well as the 44 national associations of psychiatrists in Europe. The association aims to promote European psychiatry in the clinical, research and training fields. Its main lines of action include: joint training of psychiatrists to facilitate the creation of a European identity for the profession; sharing of knowledge and best clinical practices in Europe and worldwide; collaboration with European partner organisations and the development of lobbying with European institutions to improve psychiatric and mental health care in Europe. A highlight of EPA's activities is the annual organisation of the European Congress of Psychiatry. Its last edition was held in Warsaw in April 2019 and brought together 4300 professionals in the sector.

We would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s Investigator Award. The chosen winners  presented their work at the 5th EAN Congress in Oslo this Summer. The Investigator Award consists of a free registration to the 6th EAN Congress in Paris 2020 and an award certificate.

The "Central Asian Movement Disorders Course" was conducted in the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, on June 22-23, 2019. The venue was the conference room of Kyrgyz-Turkish Center named after Chingiz Aitmatov of the historic National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic named after Alykul Osmonov. The two-day course was jointly organized by the Movement Disorders Society and Parkinson’s Disease Alliance - CIS, and the Clinical Hospital of the Administrative Department of Presidential and Government Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. Support was provided by the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Asian Oceanian Section (MDS-AOS) under the auspices of the Developing World Education Program (DWEP).

The European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA), together with European Brain Council (EBC) and European Academy of Neurology (EAN), has sent an open letter to EU leaders, making a strong case for increased prioritisation of neurological/brain health in EU policies and calling for concrete measures to be undertaken to counteract the increasing burden of brain disorders.

The AD Detect and Prevent project, which is funded through Horizon 2020 and led by the Danish digital therapeutics company Brain+, aims to develop a robust digital tool for improving the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This integrated tool aims to first detect subtle cognitive signs associated with Alzheimer’s disease (before the possible emergence of clear symptoms) and to subsequently provide personalized intervention programmes that address risk factors connected to Alzheimer’s dementia.

This September, European Member States nominated their picks for the College of Commissioners, also known as the European Commission President’s team. Each Member State needs to nominate one Commissioner, which then are assigned a portfolio, a department, by the President-elect and then heard and confirmed by the relevant committees in the European Parliament.

Online voting for the EAN Scientific Panel Management Group members will begin on 8 October and continue through to 22 October.

Application for 2020 is open from 1 August until 31 October 2019

News from other Societies

The Scientific Committee is fully committed to a great mission: To increase and share the best clinical knowledge and the cutting-edge information from translational research in all neurological fields. Main actions are i) to facilitate exchanges and synergies with the Scientific Panels ii) to support the Guideline Production Group (update and diffusion of expertise and best clinical practice), iii) to interact positively with other scientific societies with reciprocal exchanges and liaise with the European Affairs sub-Committee to increase the awareness of Neurology in Europe.

The EU Health Coalition published two statements in September on research coordination and access to innovation. The first statement called for a balanced Horizon Europe fostering research and innovation that ensures sufficient coordination. The second one argues for the creation of a Stakeholder Forum for Better Access to Health Innovation to address persisting critical health challenges in the EU.