HEALTHCARE ORGANISATIONS CALL FOR TRUE LEVEL-PLAYING FIELD IN THE EHDS, LEAVING NO PATIENT BEHIND
Brussels, 31 May 2023 – together with seven healthcare organisations, the European Association of E-Pharmacies (EAEP) released a joint statement urging policymakers in the European Parliament and Council of the EU to ensure a true level-playing field for patients and healthcare stakeholders in the European Health Data Space (EHDS), leaving no one behind.
In reaction to recent proposed amendments in the European Parliament and Council of the EU, seven healthcare organisations, representing patients, healthcare professionals, and manufacturers, convinced of the power of digital health in achieving the underlying objectives of the EHDS, have co-signed a paper promoted by the EAEP. The ongoing negotiations must acknowledge all actors along the supply chain, including online pharmacies, to ensure that patients accessing healthcare are not put in jeopardy.
Specifically, signatories jointly believe that:
- All healthcare professionals (including online pharmacies) must have access to the infrastructure made mandatory by the EHDS – MyHealth@EU, in order to support patients in a safe and transparent way;
- Provisions on (cross-border) tele-health services should be harmonised, and the uptake of these services should be encouraged;
The signatories of the statement include:
- Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacy (ASOP EU)
- European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines (EAASM)
- European Association of E-Pharmacies (EAEP)
- European Health Telematics Association (EHTEL)
- European Specialist Nurses Organisation (ESNO)
- Fight the Fakes Alliance (FtF)
- International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO)
The joint statement is available here.
Profile: The European Association of E-Pharmacies (EAEP) represents the voice of e-pharmacies on the European continent. The EAEP promotes its interests mainly with political stakeholders, regional and business actors, with the ultimate aim to improve the health of Europe’s citizens and strengthen the European healthcare system. E-pharmacies have digitalised the classical pharmacy, and therefore act at the crossroads of digitalisation, healthcare, e-commerce and sustainability. As pioneers in providing digital solutions and our innovative and secure processes in dealing with health data, offering medicinal products and digital healthcare service while complying with national and EU law, the EAEP members continuously seek for ways to enhance the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare for Europeans.
