WHO/Europe developed a new tool to help Member States estimate the costs associated with damage to health due to climate change, and those of adaptation in various sectors to protect health. WHO launched the tool at a side-event at the climate change conference in Bonn, Germany on Thursday, 6 June 2013, in which it hosted a panel discussion of these costs.Member States, citizens or advocacy groups can use the tool to make basic estimates of the economic costs of the health effects of climate change, and the costs and benefits of adaptation measures to minimize these effects. In particular, it can help strengthen the case for health adaptation in settings where climate change adaptation measures are just beginning.Economic costs of measures for adaptation to climate changeThe secretariat for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has estimated that US$ 73 billion per year will be needed for adaptation measures by 2030, including US$ 5 billion spent directly by the health sector and over US$ 25 billion by sectors influencing public health, such as water supply and sanitation. Unfortunately, only a few examples exist of the estimated cost of health-sector adaptation in countries’ adaptation plans.The climate change conference (the thirty-eighth session of two UNFCCC subsidiary bodies and part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action) is taking place on 3–14 June 2013.For more information, please visit: WHO Europe

Chronic diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's have seen an increase across Europe due to higher life expectancy and changes in lifestyle. In principle it is biomedical research that will lead to discoveries, which can offer new therapies and diagnostic solutions. Yet often these stay too long in the laboratory, which creates delays reaching the patients in need. 

This is why a new organisation has been launched which will help to bridge the "translational gap" that currently still separates the world of scientific medical research from applications in the clinic. EATRIS, the 'European Advanced Translational Research Infrastructure in Medicine', will operate through a pan-European consortium of 60 prominent academic institutions, which includes leading biomedical translational research centres. 

The aim is to ensure biomedical research is translated faster, and more efficiently, into products for clinical application, like novel drugs, vaccines and diagnostics. With this cooperation it is thus hoped to turn huge progress made in the field of biomedical research, now into medical innovations with substantial benefits for patients. 

Commenting on the launch, scientific director Dr Giovanno Migliaccio says; 'The inauguration of EATRIS activities comes after a lengthy preparation. We are confident that our research infrastructure will have a positive impact on the translational medicines field within the European Research Area (ERA) and will deliver significant and tangible benefits to Europe's citizens. 

He continues; 'This will also allow Member States to avoid infrastructure duplications, and facilitates more efficient use of the available resources in these scientifically and economically challenging times.' 

Although he stresses that EATRIS is not only a service provider facilitating product development with the help of a team of specialised scientists, but it also strategically aims to improve outcomes in translational medicine, by challenging current paradigms of therapeutic and diagnostic product development. 

The consortium will work to ensure EATRIS becomes a 'European Research Infrastructure Consortium' (ERIC), a legal entity created specifically for setting up joint research facilities at a European level. A key target group for EATRIS' work will be sufferers of rare diseases, as here the gap between upstream research and new drugs ready for the clinic is particularly wide and needs to be shortened. This means, more and better treatment, as well as diagnostics and preventive measures, will be made available to more patients and at a lower cost. 

EATRIS will be officially launched on June 3rd and 4th at the organisation's new headquarters in Amsterdam, at a conference on Translational Medicine. Topics to be discussed will include Trends and Challenges in Translational Research in Europe and Beyond as well as Europe's Needs in Translating Science into Innovative Medical Products.For more information, please visit: EATRIS

Two MRI measurements of the abdominal aorta — the amount of plaque in the vessel and the thickness of its wall — are associated with future cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or stroke, according to a study of more than 2,000 adults. Results of the study are published online in the journal Radiology. “This is an important study, because it demonstrates that atherosclerosis in an artery outside the heart is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events,” said the study’s lead author, Christopher D. Maroules, M.D., a radiology resident at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and lead author. “MRI is a promising tool for quantifying atherosclerosis through plaque and arterial wall thickness measurements.”In the study, researchers analysed abdominal MR images of 2,122 participants (mean age 44) in the Dallas Heart Study, a multiethnic population-based study of healthy adults from Dallas County, Texas. Two measurements were obtained from the MR images: mean abdominal aortic wall thickness, or the thickness of the vessel wall, and the amount of plaque buildup, referred to as the aortic plaque burden.Following imaging, study participants were monitored for a period of 7.8 years. During that time, 143 participants experienced an adverse cardiovascular event in which arterial blood flow was obstructed, resulting in death or medical intervention. Researchers categorised the events as related to the heart (cardiac events) or to other arteries (called extra-cardiac vascular events) such as those in the brain or abdomen.Of the 143 cardiovascular events, 34 were fatal. Seventy-three were non-fatal cardiac events, including heart attack or coronary revascularisation, and 46 were non-fatal extra-cardiac vascular events, such as stroke or carotid revascularisation.Using the MRI measurements, the researchers found that increased abdominal aortic wall thickness correlated with a greater risk for all types of cardiovascular events. An increase in both wall thickness and aortic plaque burden was associated with an increased risk for non-fatal extra-cardiac vascular events.“These MRI measurements may add additional prognostic value to traditional cardiac risk stratification models,” Dr. Maroules said.MR imaging of the abdominal aorta is less technically challenging than other vascular imaging exams because of the large size of the vessel and its lack of proximity to a moving organ, such as the heart or the lungs. In addition, images of the abdominal aorta are often captured when patients undergo other exams, such as MRI of the spine or abdomen.“The abdominal aorta is incidentally imaged on a regular basis,” Dr. Maroules said. “Radiologists can infer prognostic information from routine MRI exams that may benefit patients by identifying subclinical disease.”According to Dr. Maroules, further MRI research will contribute to a better understanding of the progression of atherosclerosis, which scientists believe begins with a remodelling or thickening of the vessel wall prior to the build-up of plaque.

New analysis of breast cancer mortality data over almost 40 years concludes that breast cancer screening does not yet show an effect on mortality statistics. The research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, analysed mortality trends before and after the introduction of the UK's National Health Service Breast Screening Programme in 1988. The research was based on an analysis of mortality statistics in the Oxford region because, unlike the rest of England, all causes of death on the death certificate, not just the underlying cause, are available prior to the commencement of the National Health Service breast cancer screening programme. In addition, mortality statistics for the whole of England, where death is recorded as an underlying cause, were analysed.Researchers from the Department of Public Health at the University of Oxford sought evidence of a decline in population-based breast cancer mortality that could be attributed to the implementation of mammographic screening programmes. They concluded that population-based mortality statistics for England do not show a past benefit of breast cancer screening.The new research contrasts with the findings of an independent review commissioned by the Department of Health published in 2012 which concluded that there was a 20 percent relative reduction in mortality from breast cancer in women invited to screening. The review also found that for each breast cancer death prevented, about three over-diagnosed cases will be identified and treated.Lead researcher, Ms Toqir Mukhtar, says that while the new results do not rule out a benefit of breast cancer screening at the level of individual women, "the effects are not large enough to be detected at the population level". The results were unaltered by an analysis with the enhancement of using all certified causes of death.Ms Mukhtar describes the evaluation of the effectiveness of mammographic screening programmes as problematic, saying that the effect of screening on mortality needs to be considered in light of improvements in treatment, and technological advancements made in mammographic screening, during the past 20 years.She concludes: "Measuring the effectiveness of mammography screening is a fundamental area of concern in countries which have established mammography screening programmes. Clinical trials have indicated that several years have to elapse between the start of screening and the emergence of a reduction in mortality. Yet our data shows that there is no evidence of an effect of mammographic screening on breast cancer mortality at the population level over an observation period of almost 40 years." 

A man's life has been saved after pilots were able to fly him from Dubai to the U.S. while he was hooked up to a heart-lung machine.It is believed to be the first transcontinental transfer of a patient connected to such a machine, which used during open heart surgery to keep patients alive.The feat was carried out by Royal Jet, the Abu Dhabi-based international luxury flight services company, and Germany-based Epitop Medical earlier this month.Royal Jet has handled all kinds of medical emergencies in the past 10 years, including a highly complicated medical evacuation mission flying 31 Chinese workers injured in explosions from the Republic of Congo to China last year.In terms of complexity, expertise and sensitivity, however, this latest mission to Chicago superseded all previous ones, according to Shane O'Hare, president and chief executive of the company."We are proud we could save a life by putting together our 10 years of experience, our able med-evac crew and our aviation expertise to execute a successful mission," he said.A team of German cardiologists and intensive care nurses accompanied the male patient on a specially modified Royal Jet Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 737, ensuring he was given the highest intensive care treatment on the flight from Dubai to Chicago.Health Authority Abu Dhabi provided all the necessary logistical support."Royal Jet is known for its pioneering medical evacuation service in the Middle East," said Mr O'Hare. "This is another first in a long list of over 1,600 medevac missions we have carried out."Using the BBJ reduced the number of technical stops required for a transatlantic flight to the minimum of one stop in Glasgow, UK. The flight was completed in 21 hours," he added.After the record mission, Royal Jet successfully transferred a second male patient in full cardiac failure from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles.Source: TheNational.ae

Researchers at Johns Hopkins report that hospitalized patients do not receive more than one in 10 doses of doctor-ordered blood thinners prescribed to prevent potentially lethal or disabling blood clots, a decision they say may be fueled by misguided concern by patients and their caregivers.Calling the rate of missed doses “unacceptably high,” the researchers add that hospitalized patients are at a significantly greater risk of developing venous thromboembolism, or VTE, and that preventive blood thinners can prevent it a majority of the time.“There appeared to be a lack of understanding about the risks and benefits of blood thinners among patients and medical staff, even though the research is clear that blood thinners are very effective at preventing blood clots,” says Kenneth M. Shermock, Pharm.D., Ph.D., the director of the Center for Medication Quality and Outcomes at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and leader of the study published in the journal PLOS ONE. “Blood clots and their resulting effects are the most common cause of avoidable death for hospitalized patients and we’ve got a medication that can prevent most of these events. But too many patients are not benefitting.”Shermock and his colleagues say their study found that 12 percent of ordered doses were not administered to patients, with the most commonly documented reason being patient or family-member refusal (59 percent). Patients were sometimes off the floor getting tests or in surgery when the doses are scheduled to be given.Other research done by Shermock suggests that in some cases nursing staff may have implied to patients that blood thinners are optional. Shermock says it is important to understand the reasons behind this finding and provide more education emphasizing the proven benefits of blood thinners for hospitalized patients.For the PLOS ONE study, Shermock and his colleagues analyzed more than 103,000 VTE prophylaxis doses of unfractionated heparin or enoxaparin ordered for more than 10,500 patients at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between Dec. 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Patients from 29 floors were included in the analysis: 11 medicine floors, nine surgery floors, four neurology floors and five intensive care units. They found that while 12 percent of the time ordered doses of blood thinner were not given to the patients, some floors of the hospital had much lower compliance rates.The findings are similar to results previously reported from a Harvard study, but on a much larger scale. At Harvard, in 2012, the researchers went on to provide an individual information session with every patient to explain the value of the blood thinner shots, an intervention that was successful but costly, Shermock says. The value of his larger study, Shermock says, is that a clear pattern of where the problem is at its worst emerged. The worst compliance rates were found on medicine floors, most notably two of them where some 25 to 30 percent of doses were not administered. Education programs specifically targeted to medicine floors, he says, could yield good results at a fraction of the expense.Shermock says that, overall, a majority of patients get most of their prescribed doses, which are given at eight-, 12- or 24-hour intervals. Nearly 60 percent of patients received all of their ordered doses. Roughly 20 percent of patients accounted for 80 percent of missed doses, with 20 percent of patients missing at least a quarter of their doses and 10 percent missing more than half of their doses, he says.Focusing specifically on those patients who have missed doses could make a big impact, he says. The electronic medical record could be of help with that, showing in real time which patients have refused their medication and thus lead to the staging of an immediate intervention. “We want to be able to get to these patients before there is an adverse event,” he says.In addition to gaining unique insight on the nature of the problem, the Johns Hopkins team appears to be out in front in terms of solutions. Since learning about the data from the study, the Johns Hopkins multidisciplinary Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Collaborative has conducted studies looking at provider and patient factors associated with non-administered doses of VTE prophylaxis. The committee has also learned from nurses, for example, that some patients refused prophylaxis because of the pain and bruising associated with the shots, so a pilot program has been started to test a new method of injection that is less painful.Meanwhile, a research team led by Elliott R. Haut, M.D., intends to continue this new line of research thanks to a three-year $1.5 million contract from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), an independent, nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed health care decisions. The contract, entitled “Preventing Venous Thromboembolism: Empowering Patients and Enabling Patient-Centered Care via Health Information Technology,” will allow the group to more effectively target and intervene in instances where blood thinners are not being provided, and work with patients, nurses and other members of the health care team to come up with better ways to provide effective VTE prophylaxis.Michael B. Streiff, M.D., the study’s senior author and an associate professor of medicine and pathology in the Division of Hematology, says there remains some discussion about whether all patients on medical floors need prophylactic blood thinners, because some may be at very low risk of developing blood clots. That being said, Streiff points out that we do not yet have a well-validated tool to identify which patients do not need prophylaxis.“The nurses may be exactly right that some of the patients don’t need blood thinners,” he says, “but more research is needed.”Other Johns Hopkins researchers involved in the study include Brandyn D. Lau, M.P.H.; Deborah B. Hobson, B.S.N.; Valerie S. Ganetsky, Pharm.D.; Peggy S. Kraus, Pharm.D.; Leigh E. Efird, Pharm.D.; Christoph U. Lehmann, M.D.; Brian L. Pinto, Pharm.D., M.B.A.; and Patricia A. Ross, Pharm.D.Source: Johns Hopkins

During the recently held eHealth Week in Dublin, the Greek Delegation announced its intention to organise the next High-level eHealth Conference and associated events under the Greek Presidency: In May 2014, Greece will welcome you to the eHealth Forum.The introduction of the concept of "eHealth ecosystems" by the Irish Presidency presents a true challenge for the further development of meaningful partnerships engaging the entire range of health, wellbeing and social care stakeholders, comprising both the Private and the Public Sector and creating mutually beneficial collaborations between the industry, the academia and the informed end users.Investing in eHealthGreece strongly believes that many of the challenges faced today in Healthcare could be successfully dealt with by strongly committing and investing in the deployment of effective, innovative and sustainable eHealth solutions and the dissemination of good practices.eHealth facilitates the values of equity and solidarity by enabling the access to high quality services and safer care for all, including numerous groups of citizens with chronic diseases and the elderly.  At the same time it serves as the backbone for necessary structural and functional reform and for addressing the issue of shortage of financial resources.Investing in eHealth and wellbeing, both areas with high growth potential, through innovation and service re-design offers a major opportunity for efficient healthcare. Greece considers that ICT solutions and eHealth could lead to valuable, sustainable outcomes for the society, promote the wellbeing of the European Union citizens and build a solid base for the delivery of cross-border healthcare through interoperable services.Strengthening partnershipsTwo years after the European Commission launched the eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020, the eHealth Forum organizers hope that their event in 2014 will promote every aspect of the EU political eHealth Agenda and will support the Member States in strengthening partnerships, in safeguarding fundamental rights, in inspiring change, in delivering concrete solutions and in implementing services at regional, national and cross-border level by the large-scale deployment of new technologies.The eHealth Forum 2014 brings together the High Level eHealth Conference and Exhibition, the eHealth Network Meeting and many more events, aspiring to become a true forum for the exchange of experience, mutual support, good practices and innovation. Meeting pointThe eHealth Forum 2014 will serve as the meeting point for the six Actions Groups of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (EIP on AHA). The Actions driven by them are of utmost importance to driving the innovation forward and will be the ‘ambassadors’ of the success of the first initiative of this kind, where stakeholders’ coalitions from all over Europe are delivering concrete solutions for Europe’s aging population.The organizers plan to encourage the Member States to step up their efforts through partnerships, through sharing their progress on scaling up existing innovative initiatives and approaches to ICT enabled services, through engaging the regions that have success stories to share and through showing the first outlines of roadmaps and recommendations.IndustryGreece believes that bringing the EIP on AHA activities, events and exhibitions will attract the interest of the industry and other stakeholders.In this event industry has an important role as a partner, its uptake being an enabler of innovation. Hence, our joint effort with the European Connected Health Alliance towards delivering leadership for the development of Connected and mHealth markets and practice across Europe will be valuable.Key playersThe Greek organizers hope that their event will bring together the commercial, academic and healthcare stakeholders, the decision makers, the researchers, the government bodies, the health professionals, the citizens and all other key players into moving towards sustainable ecosystems, transform healthcare delivery, accelerate the adoption of connected health technology and provide networking for a result-producing symbiotic collaboration that can create business opportunities for economic development, especially for small and medium enterprises.Greece also plans on delivering sessions on the significance of the EU-US Memorandum of understanding so as to discuss the perspectives of EU and US cooperation on eHealth.Deep reformOver the last 3 years, amidst financial crisis and recession, Greece became an example of how the need for deep reform under significant pressure can result to the deployment and application of eHealth solutions that bring considerable savings for the healthcare system and demonstrate the country’s determination to increase the quality of the provided services.This is only the beginning of a substantial reform anchored on ICT enabled health services; Regardless of the recession, Greece aims at driving eHealth forward.Therefore, the organizers are preparing to welcome important decision makers and they are committed to make the best of this opportunity. The Greek Presidency through the eHealth Forum will encourage the development of visionary policies and will look into maximizing health and economic benefits and the potential for employment through new technologies.

5 - 19 September 2013, Brussels (Belgium) to Barcelona (Spain)The mHealth Grand Tour, under patronage of Commissioner Neelie Kroes (Digital Agenda for Europe), is a cycle ride with a difference. Going from Brussels to Barcelona in just 13 days, it is 2,100km long with more than 22,000 metres of climbs. However, it isn't just a bike ride - it is also the opportunity to help demonstrate innovative solutions to the challenges of managing diabetes.Diabetes is a huge problem globally and in Europe. 8.5% of the European population has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes today and this figure is increasing year-on-year. The mHealth Grand Tour is designed to demonstrate devices, applications and health solutions that can help people manage diabetes and related conditions,  liberating them to lead active lifestyles.Apart from raising money for diabetes and demonstrating mHealth innovation, the ride is also intended to be a fabulous experience, incorporating breathtaking scenery, quiet country roads and the opportunity to sample fabulous food and wine. And, in the spirit of the Grand Tours of old, the organizers have also designed the ride to take in the outstanding cultural sights on the way.For more information, please visit: mHealth Grand Tour

Coenzyme Q10 decreases all cause mortality by half, according to the results of a multicentre randomised double blind trial presented at Heart Failure 2013 congress. It is the first drug to improve heart failure mortality in over a decade and should be added to standard treatment, according to lead author Professor Svend Aage Mortensen (Copenhagen, Denmark).Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) occurs naturally in the body and is essential to survival. CoQ10 works as an electron carrier in the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cells, to produce energy and is also a powerful antioxidant. It is the only antioxidant that humans synthesise in the body.CoQ10 levels are decreased in the heart muscle of patients with heart failure, with the deficiency becoming more pronounced as heart failure severity worsens. Statins are used to treat many patients with heart failure because they block the synthesis of cholesterol, but these drugs also block the synthesis of CoQ10, which further decreases levels in the body.Double blind controlled trials have shown that CoQ10 improves symptoms, functional capacity and quality of life in patients with heart failure with no side effects. But until now, no trials have been statistically powered to address effects on survival.The Q-SYMBIO study randomised 420 patients with severe heart failure (New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV) to CoQ10 or placebo and followed them for 2 years. The primary endpoint was time to first major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) which included unplanned hospitalisation due to worsening of heart failure, cardiovascular death, urgent cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. CoQ10 halved the risk of MACE, with 29 (14 percent) patients in the CoQ10 group reaching the primary endpoint compared to 55 (25 percent) patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio=2; p=0.003). CoQ10 also halved the risk of dying from all causes, which occurred in 18 (9 percent) patients in the CoQ10 group compared to 36 (17 percent) patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio=2.1; p=0.01).CoQ10 treated patients had significantly lower cardiovascular mortality (p=0,02) and lower occurrence of hospitalisations for heart failure (p=0.05). There were fewer adverse events in the CoQ10 group compared to the placebo group (p=0.073).Professor Mortensen said: “CoQ10 is the first medication to improve survival in chronic heart failure since ACE inhibitors and beta blockers more than a decade ago and should be added to standard heart failure therapy.”He added: “Other heart failure medications block rather than enhance cellular processes and may have side effects. Supplementation with CoQ10, which is a natural and safe substance, corrects a deficiency in the body and blocks the vicious metabolic cycle in chronic heart failure called the energy starved heart.”CoQ10 is present in food, including red meat, plants and fish, but levels are insufficient to impact on heart failure. CoQ10 is also sold over the counter as a food supplement but Professor Mortensen said: “Food supplements can influence the effect of other medications including anticoagulants and patients should seek advice from their doctor before taking them.”Patients with ischaemic heart disease who use statins could also benefit from CoQ10 supplementation. Professor Mortensen said: “We have no controlled trials demonstrating that statin therapy plus CoQ10 improves mortality more than statins alone. But statins reduce CoQ10, and circulating CoQ10 prevents the oxidation of LDL effectively, so I think ischaemic patients should supplement statin therapy with CoQ10.”Heart Failure 2013 is being held from 25-28 May in Lisbon, Portugal. It is the main annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.

Philips has announced that CX50 xMATRIX, the world’s first portable ultrasound with Philips' industry leading Live 3D TEE, now offers 2-D Intracardiac Echo (ICE) capability. The CX50 xMATRIX with available Live 3D TEE and ICE will be shown in Paris at the EuroPCR, official meeting for the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Inventions (EAPCI), May 21-24.Since its launch in 2012, Philips CX50 xMATRIX has been the only ultrasound system with the flexibility of a portable system together with Live 3D TEE capability. Philips has partnered with St. Jude Medical, a global medical device company based in St. Paul, Minn., to integrate the CX50 xMATRIX with the St. Jude Medical ViewFlex™ Xtra Intracardiac Echocardiography (ICE) Catheter. The ViewFlex Xtra ICE catheter is a new, 2-D catheter featuring four-way steering and the unique benefit of single-handed control. With the increase in minimally invasive structural heart disease (SHD) repairs and electrophyiosology (EP) procedures comes an increase in the need for ICE for visualisation of intracardiac anatomy from the right atrium. ICE is commonly used in procedures such as left atrial ablation and closure of Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) and Atrial Septal Defects (ASD). With Live 3D TEE and ICE both available on the CX50 xMATRIX, interventional teams can visualise these and other repairs that may benefit from Live 3D TEE such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), multi-fenestrated and irregular ASD closures, and other complex SHD repairs.The CX50 xMATRIX is an all-in-one imaging solution for cardiac catheterisation labs, EP labs and hybrid operating rooms.  With both ICE and Live 3D TEE available on a single system, hospitals will not need to rely on scheduling two separate ultrasound systems for various procedures.  The CX50 xMATRIX also offers interventional workflow features such as Philips Allura tableside control, automatic patient data exchange, and support for Philips' EchoNavigator – which intelligently combines fluoroscopy and echocardiography. "Our cardiology customers have clearly told us that one of the most exciting opportunities for patient care involves minimally invasive repairs, and that performing a wide range of procedures requires exceptional ultrasound imaging – not only Philips Live 3D TEE but also world-class ICE," said Conrad Smits, CEO Ultrasound, for Philips Healthcare.  "Working with another industry leader, St. Jude Medical, we have created a partnership that delivers a premium compact integrated solution to exceed the clinical and business needs of our cardiology customers."