EURO HEALTH Podcast: Recent Episodes
Health Podcast
EURO HEALTH Podcast is a brand new initiative which combines excellence with evidence-based information. It is led by Tomáš Jirsa, who is the leading podcast figure in the Czech Republic, and Jan Klusáček who is in charge of Czech podcast "Euro Na Zdraví" and publishes his comments on health, society, politics in a range of media channels. The podcast is aimed at the next generation of listeners who are interested in everyday life topics related to the health sector and would like to extend their knowledge on a variety of neglected matters. The guests of this podcast are carefully selected, so as they are experts in the health sector and discuss a range of complex topics which should be debated by the European politicians in Brussels. The world is swelled by crises in the health sector but just a few get properly elaborated on. The EURO HEALTH Podcast is here to change the narrative and provide valuable perspectives on issues which might seem obsolete but are equally important as others.
The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU (HUPRES) is steering the European Union boat to face present and future challenges for the health of Europeans. We had the chance to discuss them in a conversation with Dr. Judit Bidló, Hungarian Deputy State Secretary for the Professional Management of Health at the Ministry of the Interior, to dive deep into the HUPRES health agenda.
Every six months, one of the EU Member States takes control of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, one of the legislative bodies of the European Union. From July to December, it is Hugary’s turn to hold this prestigious position, which allows it to set the priorities for its six-month term and guide discussions on legislative and policy issues. Dr. Judit Bidló helps us understand the rationale behind Hungary’s top priority choices in health and their impact on the European and national context.
HUPRES decided to put under the spotlight two key topics: cardiovascular diseases and organ donation and transplantation. Cardiovascular diseases, responsible for almost one third of all deaths in the EU, are “Europe’s No. 1 killer”, and a well-known health emergency with insufficient harmonisation in prevention policies. The organ transplantation landscape is highly fragmented in Europe, with good-performing countries and others suffering organ shortages.
Why were these topics chosen, and what is the impact of this choice in the EU health agenda and in the reshuffling of health political priorities? What type of policy recommendations can we expect from HUPRES? How does HUPRES intend to act on drafting a prevention plan for cardiovascular diseases, especially when it comes to promoting healthy lifestyles and limiting tobacco and alcohol consumption? How is HUPRES continuing the work on mental health initiated by the preceding presidencies? Listen to Dr. Bidló discuss these and other topics in this episode of the Euro Health Podcast!
🗣SPEAKER
Dr. Judit Bidló is the Deputy State Secretary for the Professional Management of Health at Hungary’s Ministry of the Interior.
With an academic background in pharmacy, economics, and biomedical and medical engineering, she started working at the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund in 2009, focusing on pricing, reimbursement of medicines, and health services. By 2018, she was appointed Deputy General Director, where her responsibilities included managing the availability of drugs and medical devices for patients and overseeing the funding and reimbursement processes.
In March 2023, Dr. Bidló took on the role of Deputy State Secretary for the Professional Management of Health at Hungary’s Ministry of the Interior, which contributed to draft the health priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU (HUPRES).
🎙 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 Jiří Svoboda.
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How rare are rare diseases? We asked Dimitrios Athanasiou, a prominent rare diseases patient advocate, president of Rare Diseases Greece and founder of 95 Rare Alliance Greece, and member of the Patients and Consumers Working Party in the European Medicines Agency.
In this episode, Mr. Athanasiou reveals that what we think we know about rare diseases is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only do rare diseases affect a far larger number of people than we might imagine, but there is also much more complexity behind their diagnosis and treatment. Accessibility to care, diagnosis and treatment are hindered by high barriers, and patients and their families may risk further discrimination and isolation.
Engaging with policymakers is another crucial aspect to create impact and change for rare diseases patients. Both in member states and in the European Union, patients advocates draw the attentions of decision makers on this important public healthcare issue. The European Medicines Agency is tasked with the approval of new drugs, but the process is often slow and the progress is not brave enough.
How many people are actually affected by rare diseases? What are the visible and invisible barriers that prevent rare disease patients from accessing diagnosis and treatment? In which way children are disproportionately affected? What are European lawmakers doing on this issue? How to design a brave and impactful legislation to address rare diseases? How could the reform of the European Medicines Agency affect progress in this area? Learn more about rare diseases in this episode of the Europe Health Podcast!
🗣SPEAKER
Mr. Athanasiou’s engagement into rare disease advocacy began after his son was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare and incurable condition. After a period of training, he started his advocacy activity in in Greece, but quickly expanded to the European level.
Mr. Athanasiou holds leadership positions in several rare disease organizations. He is a founding member of 95 Rare Alliance Greece, the greek patients association, and is the chair of Rare Diseases Greece. He is also a representative for the Muscular Dystrophy Association HELLAS, and a board member of both the World Duchenne Organization (WDO) and the European Patient Forum (EPF)
In 2014, he was appointed as a patient expert for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by the European Medicines Agency. He served on the EMA’s Paediatric Committee until 2023 and now participates in the Patients’ and Consumers’ Working Party. His advocacy work involves close collaboration with regulators, health authorities, industry, and academia to ensure that patients with rare diseases have access to high-quality care and innovative treatments.
🎙 EURO HEALTH PODCAST
Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. Our goal is to contribute to the debate on better healthcare in Europe, from a policy and a scientific perspective. The podcast is hosted by Jiří Svoboda.
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For this episode of the Euro Health Podcast, we had the honour of welcoming Philippe Roux, Acting Director for ‘Public Health, Cancer and Health Security’ Unit, and Head of Unit for ‘Cancer, Health in all Policies’ at the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), to have a conversation around the EU’s response to cancer.
In the past five years, the fight against cancer has been highly prioritised by the European institutions: both the European Commission and the European Parliament published ambitious initiatives for prevention and treatment. Philippe Roux is in charge of coordinating actions to tackle cancer in the European Commission, including the comprehensive Europe Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP), one of the key initiatives of the Commission in the area of health. One objective: fighting a disease that affects millions of Europeans through the promotion of healthy lifestyles, innovations in treatment, and improved accessibility to diagnosis and quality care.
We asked Philippe Roux to walk us through some of the most important initiatives contained in the Plan, from the improvement of health literacy to the reduction of risky behaviours. What were the biggest achievements reached so far? How are the European institutions working together towards this common goal, and what is the role of the Member States? How is the Commission responding to the suggestions and requests of citizens, collected during the public consultations? Listen to the episode to learn it and much more!
🗣SPEAKER
Our guest for today, Philippe Roux, is a civil servant with decades-long experience in health policy. He started his career in the French social sector in the 80s, after which he worked in the European Commission in support of the development of the EU initiatives related to drug prevention. He later joined the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addictions (EMCDDA), where he contributed to the development of the framework and tools for the evaluation of the EU action plans on drugs.
His experience in the Directorate-General for Health (DG SANTE) in the European Commission started the Nutrition and Physical Activity team of on the coordination of the European Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. He became Head of Unit for ‘Cancer, Health in all Policies’ shortly after the publication of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, in 2022, with the responsibility to implement policies and organise activities to achieve the objectives of the Plan. He later became Acting Director for ‘Public Health, Cancer and Health Security’.
🎙 EURO HEALTH PODCAST
Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading experts. Our goal is to contribute to the debate on better healthcare in Europe, from a policy and a scientific perspective. The podcast is hosted by Jiří Svoboda.
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The 3rd season of the Euro Health Podcast kicks off with a very distinguished guest: Viktor Mravčík, Head of Science at the Institute for Rational Addiction Policies (IRAP) and Advisor to the Czech National Drug Coordinator.
MUDr. Mravčík has a long career in the development of drug policies in his home county, the Czech Republic. We discusses with him the evolution of the approach towards the monitoring and the management of drugs and addiction, from the perspective of a country that pioneered a rational and evidence-based approach to the issues, focused on harm reduction rather than prohibitionism.
There are various methods to tackle the issue arising from the circulation and the consumption of addictive substances, from both a market and a public health perspective. Experts, scientists and policymakers have to create regulatory frameworks and strategies to address the phenomenon, but in the European stage, they are often fragmented or contradictory.
How does science translate to policy-making? What is the role of the European institutions, especially the European Commission and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction? What are the reasons behind the still widespread prohibitionist approach to substances? How does this apply to the regulation of licit substances like tobacco and alcohol? Find out some answers to these questions and much more in the new episode of the Euro Health podcast.
🗣SPEAKER
MUDr. Viktor Mravčík is the Head of Science at the Institute for Rational Addiction Policies (IRAP) and Advisor to the Czech National Drug Coordinator.
In 2018, he was nominated associate professor at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University. From 2002 to 2021, he headed the Czech National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addictions, authoring national reports on substance use. In this role, he was part of the Reitox network of Focal Points coordinated by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drugs Addiction (EMCDDA). His responsibility in this role included the management of the National drug information system and the compilation of Annual reports on drugs and behavioural addictions in the Czech Republic.
In 2022 he took office as scientific advisor of the Czech National Drug Coordinator. His research focuses on the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of substance use and addiction policies, and, in his current role, he is involved in preparing drug policy reforms, including cannabis decriminalization and regulation.
🎙 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 Jiří Svoboda.
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For the 12th and final episode of the 2nd season of the Euro Health Podcast, we invited Dr. Charlotte De Kock, postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, who specializes in drug treatment for people with a migrant background in Belgium and the European Union.
Focusing on drug policy, we opened the discussion on the impact of recent international crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine on mental health and substance abuse.
Mental health and substance use disorders are co-occuring phenomena, which primarily affects groups in situation of socio-economic and psychological vulnerability, such as displaced populations. Together with Dr. De Kock, we enquired as to the prevalence of substance use among migrants and asylum seekers.
How are these groups affected by such disorders? What is the role of the EMCDDA in terms of prevention and treatment, specifically for people with a migrant background? What is the contribution of the scientific in introducing or strengthening policies for prevention and treatment of substance abuse for vulnerable people? Find out some answers to these questions and much more in the new episode of the Euro Health podcast.
🗣SPEAKER
Dr. Charlotte De Kock (PhD) is a Belgian postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, Belgium. She conducts fundamental and policy-supporting research into the accessibility of drug treatment for people with a migration background in Belgium and Europe. She collaborated with, among others, the European Drugs Agency (EMCDDA) on migration related topics. Dr. De Kock is chair of the Diversity Committee of the Faculty of Law & Criminology, research representative in the faculty board, and board member of the European Xchange Prevention Platform (EMCDDA).
🎙 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 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.
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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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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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The guest on the second episode of the Euro Health podcast is Mat Southwell, one of the UK's leading harm reduction workers and Project executive at the European Network of People who use Drugs (EuroNPUD), an organization that represents people who use drugs in and around the EU and includes drug users as part of the solution and helps drug-focused groups in different countries.
Mat Southwell has spoken openly about his own experiences of drug use in a past interview with the BBC. What impact did it have on his working life? What are the barriers to legitimacy and credibility for former drug users? How has his attitude to drugs changed over the years he has been working in the field of drug addiction? What is the difference between drug use and drug abuse? New policies in the European Union propose "addiction-free" treatment. Is it realistic to achieve an addiction-free generation? What impact could this have on drug users? “ It is not just the harm that comes with drug control but also lost benefits of not being able to explore the healing qualities of different drugs”, said Mat Southwell.
🗣SPEAKER Mat Southwell, Project executive at the European Network of People who use Drugs (EuroNPUD). He is an experienced drug practitioner and manager with more than 30 years of experience in HIV, drug use, and harm reduction. He founded the Healthy Options Team (HOT), a pioneering community harm reduction team, before going on to manage NHS as Head of Service for the wider health-based drug services in East London and the City until 1998. This included managing Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) programs and reorganizing drug treatment services to promote the involvement of General Practitioners and the effective management of people who use drugs with complex needs. In 1999, Mat Southwell decided to come out publicly as a drug user on a BBC documentary leading to his dismissal from the NHS and the loss of his successful private consulting firm. He also sat on the Board of UNAIDS for 3 years as a civil society representative and is now a consultant focusing on drugs and HIV advocacy with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and HIV. He is a high-level advocate with experience engaging with the United Nations and other global and European bodies to promote health and defend the rights of people who use drugs. Mat has produced several technical, practice development, and peer support resources that help with the implementation of good practices in harm reduction, community mobilization, and drug treatment.
🎙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.
How can people’s live be improved? This is the key question and goal for Dianova International, an NGO with 35 years of experience in that regard. Dianova‘s main fields of work are prevention and treatment of addiction. The organisation provides residential and outpatient programs and services on the ground. Dianova works at the advocacy level at international forums and organizations dealing with drug policies, health as well as human rights. To date, Dianova focuses on helping people in 19 countries on 4 different continents. What does the organisation do to prevent social isolation and discrimination of people dealing with addiction or people in recovery? What is the role of decision-makers in designing addiction policies? How can addiction be understood in general and why is someone more or less susceptible to have a substance use disorder? What role do mental health, gender, social, cultural and other aspects play in prevention and treatment? How important is a thorough knowledge of the patients and their individuality when it comes to treatment? Find answers to these and many other questions in the 1st episode of 2nd season of the Euro Health podcast with Lucia Goberna Lehmann and Gisela Hansen Rodríguez from Dianova International.
🗣SPEAKERS
Lucia Goberna Lehmann is a Spanish and German national. She holds a BA degree in Political and Administration Sciences from Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, Spain) and MA in European Studies from Sabanci University (Istanbul, Turkey). Lucía is part of Dianova International’s team since 2014, in charge of institutional relations. She is engaged in civil society participation in policy-making, particularly at the UN level. From 2018 to 2020 she was part of the Board of Viena NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC), having the chance to represent the views of the organization within and outside UNODC. Ms. Goberna enjoys expertise with policy monitoring, international affairs and political advocacy. Prior to DIANOVA, she worked in the fields of European policies, human rights and education projects in Belgium and Turkey, for example, in the Balearic Islands' delegation in Brussels (a Spanish regional office).
Gisela Hansen Rodríguez holds a PhD in clinical Psychology by Autonomic University of Barcelona (Spain) and two Masters of Science in Psychological Research from Autonomic University of Barcelona and ISEP. She works particularly on gender approach, mental health, stigma and childrens rights approach in the field of addictions. She has been involved in the design and implementation of drug treatment services since 2012 in Dianova, and in the advocacy work at local, regional and national level (FCD, UNAD, RIOD). Director of Dianova Spain since January 2022. Dr. Hansen is a university Professor in the Department of Psychology in University of Barcelona and a researcher in the same university.
The new episode – and final episode of the first season – of the Euro Health Podcast focuses on the creation of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (EP BECA) of the European Parliament, which is considered as real milestone in health policy. In February 2021, the Commission adopted Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, a communication recommending EU Member States to strengthen Europe's resilience to the insidious disease - cancer. The Commission’s recommendations touched upon many sectors including and preventive measures on addictive substances that cause cancer, such as alcohol and tobacco, and ensuring greater transparency in the pharmaceutical industry regarding pricing and reimbursement. It led to the creation of EP BECA. EP BECA looked in more details at cancer prevention, diagnosis to advanced treatment and follow-up care. It also focused on access to cross-border treatments and affordability of new medicines. Following 15 months of an unprecedented consultation process with experts, international organizations, public consultations, and cooperation with national governments, the Special Committee issued a report made of recommendations on how to build a comprehensive and coordinated EU strategy to fight cancer. This episode welcomes two Members of the European Parliament: MEP Bartosz Arlukowicz, and MEP Radka Maxová. In the last episode of the season, both European decision-makers talk about the Committee’ main tasks and biggest achievements as well as its next steps and tools to implement the Commission's plan with a special regard to addictions management.
🗣SPEAKERS
Radka Maxová is a Czech politician. She is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019. She was elected among ANO’s representative, the ruling party of the Czech Republic. In October 2020, MEP Maxová decided to leave the populist political party, ANO. According to her, the movement has had deviated from its original ideas and became dominated by marketing interests. As a consequence of her political switch, she moved from Renew Europe to S&D political group in the European Parliament. In the European Parliament, MEP Radka Maxová is the Vice-chair of the Committee on Women’s rights and Gender Equality. She is a full member of the Special Committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation and of the Delegation to the EUMoldova Parliamentary Association Committee. MEP Maxová is also active in the work conducted by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. In the past, she has been a member of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA) which was dissolved shortly after the European Parliament adopted the BECA Report in February 2022.
Bartosz Arłukowicz is a Polish politician and pediatrician. He is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019 among the group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats). He has served as Poland’s Minister of Health from 2011 to 2019. In the European Parliament, MEP Bartosz Arłukowicz is a full Member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. From 2020 to 2021, MEP Arłukowiscz has served as Chair of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (EP BECA) which was dissolved shortly after the European Parliament adopted the BECA Report in February 2022.
For its 11th episode, Euro Health Podcast welcomed Aleš Rod, Research Director at the Center for Economic and Market Analyses (CETA) based in the Czech Republic since 2013. What is CETA and what are its general activities? Also, since the beginning of the pandemic, interest in health policy has increased significantly. What are Aleš Rod’s activities on health-related matters? What role does CETA play in cancer prevention? Check out the new episode where you willl find the answers to these questions and more.
🗣SPEAKER
Ales Rod holds a Ph.D in Economic Theory from the University of Economics in Prague, Czech Republic where he still delivers lectures. He currently works as Research Director at the Center for Economic and Market Analyses (CETA) based in Czech Republic. His research activities are related to economics of regulation with an application in energy and waste economy, public finance and banking. Moreover, he is involved in several projects dealing with shadow economy analysis and economics of luxury. Ales Rod is a board member of Consumer Forum Czech Republic, he cooperates with Europe’s Research Alliance for a Digital Economy in London and consults various projects dealing with smart cities and digital economy for both public and private subjects in the Czech Republic and abroad. Ales Rod has published several articles. Some of the most important publications include: Ales Rod and al., Price of alcohol in EU Member States – affordability of alcoholic products and role of excise duties, 4th International Scientific Conference – EMAN 2020 – Economics and Management: How to Cope With Disrupted Times, 2020, Ales Rod and al., Short-term rental platforms: Airbnb in V4 countries, 5th International Scientific Conference – EMAN 2021 – Economics and Management: How to Cope With Disrupted Times, 2021. Ales Rod and al. Packaging waste economy: insight into efficiency of monopolistic and competitive waste management systems in the EU, Fifth International Scientific-Business Conference LIMEN Leadership, Innovation, Management and Economics: Integrated Politics of Research, 2019.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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It is now more than two years since the global Covid-19 pandemic was declared. Time has come to take stock on how the very existence of covid has affected people in the world. What kind of impact did Covid-19 have on things like diet behaviors, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption? Why women and younger people’s mental health was more affected by lockdowns? Did having a pet help people during lockdowns? You will find these and other questions in the new Euro Health podcast episode with Dimitra Kale, Research Coordinator at the University College London.
🗣SPEAKER
Dr Dimitra Kale holds a BSc in Psychology from Brunel University in London, a MSc in Health Psychology at King’s College London and University College London and recently completed a PhD in Psychology from Goldsmiths University of London. She is currently a Research Coordinator at the University College London. She works for UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research group which is part of the Department of Behavioral Science and Health. As a PhD student, Dimitra Kale examined the role of impulsivity-related traits with nicotine dependency. She investigated individual differences in cigarette smoking and vaping, and the role of vaping in smoking cessation at Goldsmith, University of London. She is now involved in a number of studies focusing on the development and evaluation of digital interventions for smoking cessation, and the analysis of survey data to gain insight into population-wide influences on smoking and vaping. In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, she contributes to a survey study to gain a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on health behaviours among UK adults. Dr Kale has published several articles and contributed to many books. Some of the most important publication include:
• Dr Kale and al., Characterizing the patterns of and factors associated with increased alcohol consumption since COVID‐19 in a UK sample, Drug and alcohol review. 2021, pp. 890-899.
• Dr Kale and al., Associations between vaping and Covid-19: Crosssectional findings from the HEBECO study, Drug and alcohol dependency. 2021, 108590.
• Dr Kale and al., Changes in Cigarette Smoking and Vaping in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK: Findings from Baseline and 12- Month Follow up of HEBECO Study, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022, 19 (2), 630.
• Trait impulsivity, cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use, Goldsmiths, University of London. 2020.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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When will the pandemic end?“ „Well I am sorry I forgot my crystal ball.“ These sentences are opening the 9th Episode of Euro Health Podcast with Peter Piot. It is not possible to fully predict the future, but we can be slightly optimistic on the development of the COVID-19 virus. It is not the end of the pandemic, but with Omicron variant we can expect better times. But what will our future look like? Is there going to be some „new normal“? How should we look at the measures for the future? Will wearing a face mask or taking regular COVID-19 testing become our daily routine? These and many more questions in the new Euro Health Podcast episode.
🗣SPEAKER
Peter Piot is a Belgian national, a Handa Professor of Global Health and the former Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He holds a medical degree from the University of Ghent (1974), and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Antwerp (1980). In May 2020, the European Commission has appointed Belgian virologist Peter Piot to the post of special advisor to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the response to the coronavirus and COVID-19. In December 2021, it has been announced that Prof Piot will be the Chief Scientific Advisor for Epidemics in the EU. Before entering the European Commission, Peter Piot has had a long career in health-related matters. In 1976, two years after graduating from the University of Ghent, he co-discovered the Ebola virus in Zaire, the current Democratic Republic of Congo. He also led pioneering research on HIV/AIDS, women’s health, and infectious diseases, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. From 1995 until 2008, Peter Piot directed the United Nations AIDS programme and worked as Under Secretary-General of the United Nations. Peter Piot has also had an extensive teaching career. He was a professor of microbiology, and of public health at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, the Free University of Brussels, and the University of Nairobi. He was a Senior Fellow at the University of Washington, a Scholar in Residence at the Ford Foundation, and a Senior Fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He was the Director of the Institute for Global Health at Imperial College, London, and held the chair 2009/2010 "Knowledge against poverty" at the College de France.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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Topic number one is the new coronavirus mutation called omicron. What this variant will mean for us? Will it mean different regulations? Do current vaccine work for new omicron variant? How is the situation with vaccination in Poland? What would Prof. Fal say to the antivaxers?
🗣SPEAKER
Professor Andrzej Mariusz Fal was born in Wroclaw, Poland. He graduated from the medi-cal University in 1988, and from the University of Economics in 1996. He holds a degree in allergology, internal medicine and public health. He did post-doctoral studies at Johns’ Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA (1997-1999). He has also been trained at National Heart and Lung Institute in London, UK (1990) and at the Hospital in Vesteras & University of Lund, Sweden (2003). Since 2010, Prof. Fal is a Professor and the Head of the Department of Allergy, Pulmonary Diseases and Internal Medicine at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Minitry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw. He is as well a visiting professor at the Department of Public Health at the Wroclaw Medical University. In November 2014, he has been elected to be a President of the Polish Society of Public Health. Therefore, Prof. Fal is also part of the executive board of European Public Health Association (EUPHA). EUPHA is an international, multidisciplinary, scientific organisation, bringing together around 23’000 public health experts for professional exchange and collaboration throughout Europe. It en-courages a multi-disciplinary approach to public health. It aims at improving health and well-being and narrowing health inequalities for all Europeans. EUPHA seeks to support its members to improve health in Europe, adding value to the efforts of stakeholders in regions and states, in national and international organisations, and individual public health professi-onals. Prof. Fal is also a member of the Drug Management Team of the Ministry of Health.
📍TOPIC
The omicron variant was found early November in Botswana, it is first variant with 50 different mutations, what makes it very dangerous. In some countries where are people not vaccinated at all, for example countries like Africa, Botswana, where omicron firstly showed up, they became reservoir for COVID -19. In such countries the virus has free space to develop and mutate to very dangerous variants and than be exported to other countries. We need to convince people not just to get their injection, but we also need to finantially support countries that are not able to finantially afford it.
🎙EURO HEALTH PODCAST
Euro Health Podcast focuses on European health policy by giving voice to leading ex-perts. The goal is to bring complex and evidence-based information, which could lead to a better Europe. Podcast is hosted by Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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What is the EP Special Committee on Beating Cancer? What were the main priorities of MEP Ondrej Knotek and Renew Europe in the BECA Report? What to expect in the BECA Report on topics such as tobacco prevention?
🗣SPEAKER
Ondřej Knotek is a Czech Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for ANO 2011, as part of the Renew Europe Group. He is serving his first term at the European Parliament following his election in May 2019. Knotek holds degrees from the Czech Technical University and the Institute of Chemical Technology, both located in Prague. Previously, he worked as a quality manager at ROTAREX, a Czech pharmaceutical company, where he implemented EU legislation on medical products such as the Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Since 2019, MEP Knotek is a member of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) as well as a substitute of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). In addition to his committee assignments, Knotek is part of the Parliament's delegation to the EU Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee and a substitute in the EU Albania Committee. In 2020, MEP Knotek joined the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA).
📍TOPIC
The BECA Committee created in line with the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan gathers MEPs from every political party and investigates the actions and policies the EU can undertake to fight cancer. BECA has a twelve month mandate to look at aspects such as: actions in cancer detection, prevention, treatment, and care; priorities and policies beneficial for patients; preventive measures to be taken in relevant policy areas; supporting research on rare form of cancer; access to cross-border treatments; new medicines and their affordability. The Special Committee will deliver a final report outlining the views on the MEPs on how to best address cancer. The Special Committee will vote on the Final BECA Report at the beginning of December (either 6th or 9th of December). Following that, the whole European Parliament will vote on the BECA’s Report in February 2022.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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Is harm reduction policy applicable for children? How to find a proper limit to protect our children? How was addiction policy influenced by pandemic? Wich countries are the most inspiring in the area of drug policy? What is YODA and how it contributes to effective development of addiction policy?
🗣SPEAKER
Ms. Iga Jeziorska studied social prevention and resocialisation in Poland and moved to Hungary in 2013. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Institute of Economic and Public Policy of the Corvinus University of Budapest. Iga has been involved in the field of drug policy since 2011. She has been involved in the work of the Social Drug Policy Initiative in Poland and is now involved in the work of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs in the EU. The purpose of this expert group is to provide a broad platform for a structured dialogue between the Commission and the European civil society which supports drug policy formulation and implementation through practical advice. Since 2016, Ms. Jeziorska joined the Youth Organisations for Drug Action (YODA). YODA is a network of youth organizations and young activists, working in 21 European countries, which advocates for human rights and public health to be firstly considered when looking for solutions to the global drug problem.
📍TOPIC
Ms. Iga Jeziorska visited Prague due to her involvement in the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference. In this episode she will speak about how pandemic showed importancy of takeing care of mental health, that is also close related to people using substances. This fact can help policy makers to realise that this topic should be more prioritized. In this episode Ms. Jeziorska also compared changes in addiction policy and takeing care of mental health that have taken place in Hungary and Poland and mentioned countriest that are inspirational in area of drug policy. One of the main topics was also YODA, where Ms Jeziorska is a deputy director. She described its function and philosophy, and partial processes that lead to better results in looking for solutions to the global drug problem.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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What are the key topics of the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference that took place in Prague in November? What is the one thing Ms. Schiffer wants people to learn about harm reduction during the conference? How people who use drugs can help with solutions in harm reduction? Are there some major changes in thinking in Europe about harm reduction? How people that use drugs have changed in general?
🗣SPEAKER
Ms. Katrin Schiffer studied social work in Germany and moved to the Netherlands in 1994. Since 1996, Katrin works for The Rainbow Group – a lowthreshold organisation targeting drug users, homeless people and people with mental health problems. From 1997 to 2003, Katrin coordinated a European Network focusing on male sex work, financed by the European Commission. Since 2005, Katrin is one of the coordinators of Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network, with more than 250 members in all European countries. C-EHRN envisions a fair and more inclusive Europe, in which people who use drugs, including other related vulnerable and marginalised people, have equal and universal access to health and social services without being discriminated against and stigmatised. The organization believes that civil society and in particular people who use drugs should play a vital role in the development and the implementation of inclusive interventions and policies.
📍TOPIC
Ms. Schiffer visited Prague because of her involvement in the organization of the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference. The conference is organized by Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network, an organization which is co-led by Ms. Schiffer. Harm reduction is effective, but it is necessary to do more scientific reaserch and involve government that takes more responsibility by money and resources. Polititians also need to listen more to civil society and people who use drugs. The research should not be only about scientific evidence, but also about practical evidence and experience. People who use drugs are seen as a problem, but not as a part of the solution.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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Why do people start smoking in these days, when it is no longer popular as in the past? What are the main reasons why people start smoking? Should we remove nicotine from society, or it would be replaced with something else or worse? Is it possible to achieve nicotine free world? How would society respond to the ban on tobacco products?
🗣SPEAKER
Dr Ernest Groman is from Vienna, Austria, and he was born in 1969. He completed his medical school studies 1997. Already at this time dr Groman was very interested in nicotine dependence and smoking cessation and he has since devoted the majority of his time to offering smoking cessation treatments at many different parts of the Austria society.
In the past, he worked for the Public Health Center (Institute of Social Medicine of the University of Vienna). Since 2002, he has been involved in the development and implementation of smoking cessation programs in Lower Austria.
He is currently the Scientific Director of the Nicotine Institute in Vienna. The Nicotine Institute was founded in 1998 to reduce the burden of tobacco diseases. The institute is devoted to reducing the harm from tobacco dependence, and it focuses on three areas of tobacco prevention: diagnosis, treatment, and information to the public and professional group.
📍TOPIC
Dr Groman visited Prague because of his participation in a roundtable on ‘Reducing Cigarette Addiction and Preventing cancer in the Czech and European context’. As studies say, cigarette smoking causes 30% of the cancer. So why do people start smoking today, when cigarettes are no longer popular or visible, as in the past, and when human is most prone to addiction to smoking? According to the statement of Dr Groman, reaching a world without nicotine is not possible, but we can replace it with other nicotine-containing products. According to Swedish studies, nicotine-containing products supplanting cigarettes could save many lives. Replacing the strict rhetoric of smoking bans could be more effective in a future and prevent black market.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
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How global pandemic and upcomming economic crisis impacts mental health? How to work with insecurity? Which mental disorders are increasing? Is psychiatry care in The Czech Republic suffitient and prepared for situations like global pandemic? What is “Psychedelic Europe”about? Are psychedelic substances a way forward in mental health treatments? What are the biggest challenges for the recognition of psychedelic substances as a form of innovative health treatment? What is community mental health care?
🗣SPEAKER
Prof. MUDr. Jiří Horáček is a Professor of Psychiatry at the 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. He holds a degree in psychiatry and psychotherapy. He is currently the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Mental Health in the Czech Republic.
Prof. Jiří Horáček has been actively involved in 40 scientific research projects. He is a strong advocate for the use of innovative methods in the treatment of mental illnesses, and he speaks in favor of the use of psychedelic substances in mental health treatment.
His research activities involve the use of brain imaging (PET, fMRI and qEEG) in the fields of schizophrenia, depression and OCD, psychiatric genetics, and the animal modeling of mental disorders. He is both the editor of several books and the author of more than 100 scientific articles. Prof. Jiří Horáček has received several national and international psychiatric awards from the International Pharmaco-EEG Society (Werner Hermann Memorial Award), the Czech Neuropsychopharmacological Society and ECNS-ISNIP. In his productive career he has been awarded the Senior Research Fellow of the Bedfordshire CMHR in association with the University of Cambridge. He was also the President of the Czech Neuropsychopharmacological Society (2015-2017).
📍TOPIC
We are in the middle of global pandemic, things have dramatically changed and COVID-19 pandemic is being followed by a mental health crisis. Presence of anxiety disorders and depressions increased 3 times. There is a general agreement amongst key experts and scientists who say that the number of individuals facing mental health problems is steadily increasing as a fallout to the coronavirus pandemic. Research also shows, that reactions on special situation like this is dependent on different psychological flexibility. We also talked about promissing innovative ways to treat mental illnesses such as using psychedelic substances. There is new association “Psychedelic Europe” that has been established in Brussels which aims to advocate for an EU-wide regulatory framework that promotes medicinal use of psychedelic substances to the benefit of patients, stimulate research, harmonize rules on the market, and secure a safe and predictable environment for the industry and entrepreneurs in Europe.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
👀FOLLOW US
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/27oZmDwhNxNdWWW0IvqnVm
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/euro-health-podcast/id1573732306
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ_LfcicfTgyVuJpjlNH23w/featured
🕊TWITTER
Tomáš Jirsa: https://twitter.com/tomasjirsa?s=21
Jan Klusáček: https://twitter.com/janklusacek?s=21
Which EU member states have rational approach towards drugs and addiction policy? Is it possible to eradicate addictions? What is Germany’s National Drugs and Addictions Policy about? Should there be a coherent and comprehensive European approach towards drugs and addictions?
🗣SPEAKER
Heino Stöver is a social scientist, PhD and Professor of Social Scientific Addiction Research at the Faculty of Health and Social Work of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences in Germany.He is the president of the national umbrella organization working on harm reduction for drug users and since 2009 he has also been the director of the “Institute of Addiction Research”.
Prof. Heino Stöver’s main fields of research and project development expertise are health promotion for vulnerable and marginalized groups, drug services, and related health aspects such as the potential of e-cigarettes and drug dependence.
He has also worked as a consultant for the European Commission (EC), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Health Organization (WHO), European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
📍TOPIC
In today’s episode we will focus on how Germany’s policy on drugs and addictions have evolved over time, and whether the current approach towards addictions could be replicated across the European Union to create a more harmonized policy.
We talked about the best way forward, and how to ensure that European citizens in all the EU Member States are given equal opportunities to address their addictive behaviors in rational ways.
🎙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 Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.
👀FOLLOW US
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/27oZmDwhNxNdWWW0IvqnVm
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/euro-health-podcast/id1573732306
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ_LfcicfTgyVuJpjlNH23w/featured
🕊TWITTER
Tomáš Jirsa: https://twitter.com/tomasjirsa?s=21
Jan Klusáček: https://twitter.com/janklusacek?s=21
The long-awaited Episode 1 of the EURO HEALTH Podcast whose guest was a leading Czech authority on drug use, Mgr. Jindřich Vobořil, is out!
The Health Podcast is a brand new initiative which aims to provide expert opinions on complex matters related to the health sector and give our listeners different perspectives than the ones commonly presented through mainstream media.
The topic of Episode 1 is Phenomena of harm reduction: a way to address addictions.
Addictions are sweeping the world like a disease which is only underlined by the fact that alcohol and tobacco, only, caused more than double the deaths last year than COVID-19 caused since its outbreak. The COVID-19 itself is likely to increase this addiction and the main question is, how do we cope with increasing addictions to deadly substances.
Join us and Mr. Vobořil in a valuable discussion where we delve into the possible solutions to this problem as well as the controversial opinions of some of the decision-makers in Brussel.
EURO HEALT Podcast is hosted by Tomáš Jirsa and Jan Klusáček.