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CONTENTS
NEWS FROM EURADIA
NEWS FROM EURADIA MEMBERS
NEWS FROM THE EU
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
REPORTS AND RESOURCES
EVENTS
NEWS FROM EURADIA
This has been an eventful and busy year for EURADIA. Updating the DIAMAP Road Map for Diabetes in Europe project is central to EURADIA’s mission and is the tool that generates the material essential for a rational diabetes advocacy strategy, targeting support for diabetes research at European and national level. We are extremely fortunate that Professor Chantal Mathieu from KU Leuven, Belgium is chairing this initiative; it is her skill and enthusiasm that has ensured progress during the past year. She has overseen the impact survey, which provided a basis for the update. The survey showed that the original DIAMAP is still current and useful, and has led to the development of a new interactive website, to be launched early 2017. EURADIA is updating the Focused Expert groups from the original project and looking at ways to engage the diabetes research community in this initiative. It is intended that DIAMAP will become a living and ongoing resource for diabetes research.
 Our first EURADIA Summer Meeting "Sustainable Innovation in Diabetes Research: How Europe can Rise to the Challenge" was held on 13 July 2016, at the University Foundation, Brussels, Belgium. We held this event for a multi-stakeholder audience. This meeting addressed some of the major challenges in diabetes research along with current policy and funding responses and consideration of how to tackle these issues in the future. The programme consisted of internationally-renowned speakers from academic science, patient organisations, the European Commission and European Medicines Agency and funding agencies. It is our hope that more such events can be organised in the future and can generate a discussion about how different stakeholders can contribute to diabetes research in Europe.
EURADIA is also currently hosting the European Coalition for Diabetes Secretariat (ECD). European diabetes research was profiled during the EU Diabetes Working Group event, hosted by the ECD in the European Parliament, Strasbourg, France in February. During the event the Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, indicated his commitment to diabetes research and we will keep him updated on this through our activities. From left to right: Christel Schaldemose MEP, Prof Michael Stumvoll EURADIA Chair, Commissioner for Research and Innovation Carlos Moedas, Mr Chris Delicata ECD.
The ECD Co-Chairs also met with Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis at the European Commission on 12 July 2016, Brussels, Belgium. The ECD publication, Diabetes in Europe: The Policy Puzzle was presented, highlighting the urgent need for more sustained  and coordinated action to improve the implementation and evaluation of policies to act on diabetes. Fruitful discussions then considered possible approaches to the EU diabetes epidemic and how the ECD can help European institutions to follow up on the many declarations and resolutions that have addressed the issue. Find out more about the ECD and the work of the EU Diabetes Working Group here. From left to right: Anne-Marie Felton FEND, Mr Chris Delicata ECD, Vytenis Andriukaitis Commissioner for Health, Xavier Cos PCDE, Sarah Hills EURADIA.
CHRODIS: Joi nt Action on Chronic Diseases and Promoting Healthy Ageing across the Life Cycle is a Joint Action funded under the third EU Health Programme 2014-2020. EURADIA is involved through membership of the ECD, which participates through Work Package 7. The final conference of the diabetes work package was held in Rome at the National Institute of Health on the 20-21 October. The meeting presented the results, showcased examples of good practices and discussed the potential implementation of these results to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes and, more broadly, with chronic diseases. For more information, click here.
EURADIA is a consortium member of the FP7-funded InterConnect initiative, funded by the EU in order to establish a global initiative to engage researc hers in a new approach to optimising the use of existing data that is secure, scalable, and sustainable within a simple governance framework. Coordinator Professor Nick Wareham (Cambridge, UK) (pictured left), the initiative aims to enable a new way of making use of existing data from individual studies around the world to enhance our ability to investigate why risk varies significantly between different populations. EURADIA is a partner in the Initiative and is responsible for the Stakeholder and Funder Engagement, and the Dissemination work packages. EURADIA has co-ordinated two successful InterConnect Symposia, held at the EASD in September 2015, Stockholm, and in September 2016, Munich.
Find out more about EURADIA’s mission and activities at our new EURADIA website launched in September 2016 at the EASD in Munich, Germany.
Followi ng a successful FEND annual conference in Munich, webcast recordings of the keynote presentations are now available to view.
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 The Regional Office is hosting three events at the European Institutions to mark World Diabetes Day: an exhibition on diabetes and blood glucose testing; a debate on mobilising political will at the European Parliament by Marian Harkin MEP and Anne Hedh MEP and a presentation on diabetes at the workplace at the European Commission. Full details here
 JDRF, which for a decade through its research and advocacy work has catalysed development of artificial pancreas systems, commended the US Food and Drug Administration for being the first regulator in the world to approve a commercial version of this life-saving technology. Full press release here
NEWS FROM THE EU
Data Protection Regulation Update: UK Implementation and Brexit
The new European Data Protection Regulation was agreed in April 2016 and will take effect from May 2018. It creates a supportive framework for scientific research, including safeguards to ensure personal information is used appropriately and remains secure. During negotiations, the European Parliament proposed amendments to the Regulation that would have imposed disproportionate limits on the use of health data. These would have had a devastating impact on research. The Regulation rejected these amendments. The Wellcome Trust is working to ensure that the research community and policy makers work together on implementation to ensure the Regulation fulfils its potential. The UK Government has recently clarified that it does expect to implement the Data Protection Regulation ahead of Brexit. The Wellcome Trust are looking at the implications for research of different options for data protection post-Brexit. More here.
European Health Interview Survey - Almost 1 adult in 6 in the EU is considered obese - share of obesity increases with age and decreases with education level
While 46.1% of those aged 18 or over living in the European Union (EU) had a normal weight in 2014, slightly more than half of the adults (51.6%) were considered as over-weight (35.7% pre-obese and 15.9% obese) and a further 2.3% as under-weight. In other words, nearly 1 in every 6 persons aged 18 or over in the EU was obese in 2014. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or over. Full report here.
Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, delivered a powerful address to the Academy of Medicine, in Washington, last month. She focused on the relation between economic growth and modernisation, noting that “For the first time in history, rapidly growing prosperity is making many previously poor people sick. This is happening in countries with few resources and health system capacities to respond. If current trends continue, a costly disease like diabetes can devour the gains of economic development”. Moreover, and of relevance to EU policy makers, “When crafting preventive strategies, government officials must recognise that the widespread occurrence of obesity and diabetes throughout a population is not a failure of individual willpower to resist fats and sweets or exercise more. It is a failure of political will to take on powerful economic operators, like the food and soda industries. If governments understand this duty, the fight against obesity and diabetes can be won. The interests of the public must be prioritized over those of corporations”. Read the full report.
 Personalised Medicine Conference Report (DG Research and Innovation)
The report addresses the broader policy perspective and challenges by showcasing both integrated healthcare models in Member States and business approaches that involve patients more directly in their healthcare. The Personalised Medicine Conference 2016 took place in Brussels (1-2 June 2016) and attracted 600 participants and over 2,000 more online. Sessions included: Developing Awareness and Empowerment; Integrating Big Data and ICT solutions; Translating Basic to Clinical Research; Bringing Innovation to the Market and Shaping Sustainable Healthcare. Read the full report
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