Laws & regulations

EU directive threatens use of MRI

A new, powerful alliance, comprised of leading politicians and healthcare groups (see box), aims to pressure EU Authorities to revise the controversial directive 2004/40/EC (EMF)*.

Clinical Research: Eastern Europe will soon catch up with Germany

Asklepios proresearch, a clinical research organization located in Hamburg, Germany recently presented its annual report about clinical research activities in Europe. Their result: The number of participations of clinical studies in Germany, one of the leading countries in research projects, slightly increased in 2006, with a positive trend for 2007. But countries like Poland and Russia are…

Toxic chemicals in medical devices must be labelled

Due to a revised EU law, manufactures of medical devices are forced to label certain chemical ingredients in their products. This decision will enable hospitals to protect their patients against harm caused by toxic devices - if they are interested in. Because alternative products of course are connected with higher costs.

New Labour Code causes confusion and anger

The amended version of the new Czech Labour Code stipulates that emergency working hours and overtime in hospitals and social care institutes be altered so that employees are paid no less than they receive for regular working hours.

Huge cost-savings for private insurers

According to an as yet undefined ruling of the European Court of Justice, EU patients whose names have been on long waiting lists for surgery in their homeland now have a right to be treated in another EU country, and this is to be reimbursed by their national health insurers.

Italy

IT introduction is increasingly considered a strategic element, since it is capable of supporting different decision processes at various levels (top management, middle management and professionals) and guiding them towards concrete objectives: cost control and containment, improved efficiency, evaluation and enhancement of service quality.

A 'World Health Insurance'

In a recently published article, a team from Médecines Sans Frontières have suggested a 'World Health Insurance' to help provide healthcare for people in poorer nations (see box). Over 50% of the 42 countries carrying that healthcare burden would be European.

The first pan-European VHD, CVD and diabetes guidelines

The first, pan-European guidelines to be published on the treatment of valvular heart disease (VHD), diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have made a series of new recommendations that experts hope will contribute to improving the outcome for patients.

National smoking ban begins

From 1 February, France has implemented the first wave of a national smoking ban, with all health and administrative buildings, educational establishments and public transport becoming smoke-free areas. Smoking is also banned in all other workplaces, except in specially designated smoking rooms, which non-smokers would not have to enter for any reason.

Czech Republic authorities force unlawful membership of professional chambers

Hurrah! The Czech Republic finally approved a trustworthy government. After `merely´ seven months, we made it! What's not so encouraging is that the new government also doesn't know how to deal with some perennial problems — those hindrances that have slowed Czech healthcare's development and reforms for years.

International Medical Tourism Conference

Sanigest Europe s.r.o., an international healthcare and management consulting company, has organised a two-day international conference to discuss the rapidly growing development of Medical Tourism.

Where abortion isn't illegal, it should be safe and accessible

Each year about 46 million women in the world decide to have an abortion because of unwanted pregnancy. Half of them have no other choice but to access unsafe abortions, leading to the death of worldwide 70,000 women every year - including Europe. At least in areas where abortion is not illegal, this disgrace can be abolished by the access to safe abortions.

New Highly Skilled Migrant Programme might lead to NHS staffing crisis

A High Court ruling recently backed the government´s changes to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme in the UK. The changes regarding a new points system will make it more difficult for foreign employees to work in the UK. Doctors already working in the UK claiming the changes will force them to leave.

Libyan HIV Infection case becomes EU wide affair

At second instance a Libyan court sentenced five Bulgarian nurses to death. The healthcare workers are accused of allegedly infecting more than 400 children in Libya with HIV through contaminated blood products. Now Bulgaria will bring charges against 11 Libyan police officers for torturing the nurses into confessing that crime, that they allegedly did not commit.

Gambling treatment as a service of the NHS

Gambling should be a recognized addiction that requires treatment on the NHS, so the demand of the BMA (British Medical Association) published in its hard-hitting report "Gambling addiction and its treatment within the NHS".

“Outlook for the future on healthcare in Europe”

During the course of the EU Council Presidency, Germany is setting a special focus on the health policy with the priorities prevention, innovation and access to health services. The latter was the first topic discussed by European experts from politics, research and health insurances during the conference “The social dimension in the Internal Market — Outlook for the future of healthcare in…

Helios introduces new generation of quality indicators

The Helios group of hospitals recently introduced a new scheme for a unified, comparable set of indicators to describe the most important services and quality parameters in hospitals. The model is a trend-setting step towards greater transparency - with less administrative effort.

Political agreement on the EU Health Programme 2007-2013

A “political agreement” on the EU Health Programme 2007-2013 recently has reached the Health Ministers Council in Brussels. The programme is a framework for the Commission´s funding of projects relating to health and will be part of a broader EU health strategy to be put forward by the Commission next year.

SOMATOM Definition CT Receives FDA Approval for First Six Dual Energy Applications

At the RSNA 2006 Siemens Medical Solutions announced it has received 510(k) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first of many syngo® Dual Energy applications for the SOMATOM® Definition - the dual source computed tomography (DSCT) system.