ECPO SUPPORT THE CALL FOR OBESITY TO BE INCLUDED AS A NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IN THE EU4HEALTH PROGRAMME
We are delighted to partner with 38 stakeholder organisations and 6 MEPs in signing an open letter to health ministers and their permanent representatives to the EU, calling for obesity be included as a non-communicable disease in the EU4Health programme.
Our patient community were relieved to read that the European Commission correctly placed Obesity in the medically vunerable category in light of COVID-19, and further more the latest Foresight Report specifically prioritises obesity alongside Cancer as two NCSd that should take top priority.
However, it feels like a step back to read of late that the EU Council has positioned Obesity as a lifestyle risk factor, which the patient community in collaboration with the scientific have worked tirelessly to address. We know Obesity is a chronic relapsing, progresive and complex disease, let’s marry the science with the policy and categorise Obesity as an NCD.
MEP signatories:
MEP Pernille WEISS, Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)
MEP Biljana BORZAN, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
MEP Sara CERDAS, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
MEP Linea SØGAARD-LIDELL, Renew Europe Group
MEP Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Renew Europe Group
MEP Jutta PAULUS, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance