To ensure that you are kept abreast of the most relevant and reliable information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we reached out to Prof. Jean-Michel Dogné, Head of the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Namur and expert at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for advice. Based on his recommendations, as well as input from our members, we will be sharing credible figures, research articles and reports on COVID-19 and its effects on the patient and medical community here. (SIGN UP HERE)
COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor
The Health System Response Monitor (HSRM) has been designed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to collect and organize up-to-date information on how countries are responding to the crisis. It focuses primarily on the responses of health systems but also captures wider public health initiatives. This is a joint undertaking of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission, and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. The HSRM allows you to select your country, access up-to-date information, compare health policy responses and access other references.
Access the Health System Response Monitor here>>>
“How are countries re-organising non-COVID19 healthcare service delivery” – read more here>>>
COVID-19 Figures from Reliable Sources
The Health System Response Monitor (HSRM) has been designed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to collect and organize up-to-date information on how countries are responding to the crisis. It focuses primarily on the responses of health systems but also captures wider public health initiatives. This is a joint undertaking of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission, and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. The HSRM allows you to select your country, access up-to-date information, compare health policy responses and access other references.
Access the Health System Response Monitor here>>>
“How are countries re-organising non-COVID19 healthcare service delivery” – read more here>>>
COVID-19 Figures from Reliable Sources
Check these sites on a daily basis for up-to-date statistics on COVID-19:
World Health Organisation (WHO) Situation Reports
WHO Coronavirus Disease Situation Dashboard
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Situation Update
Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Global Dashboard (includes Recoveries).
European Medicines Agency (EMA) COVID-19 Key Facts
European Medicines Agency (EMA) COVID-19 Vaccine development, evaluation, approval and monitoring
Guidance for Better Mental Health
To read further about the exciting development of Therapeutics and Vaccines, please click here>>>
COVID-19 Vaccination tracker in Europe>>>
To find interesting perspectives and research from the medical field, please click here>>>
From our unique position at the centre of the European patient community, we asked how patients with chronic conditions have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Read the Patient Testimonies>>>
RESEARCH FROM THE FIELD
For Whose Benefit?: Transparency in the development and procurement of COVID-19 vaccines (May 2021)
The urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic has demanded rapid disbursements of public funds, quick decision-making, and unprecedented public health interventions. The analysis of this report reveals that the development of and contracting for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines has also been accompanied
by a disturbing and dangerous lack of transparency. Read report>>>
The COVID-19 Infodemic: Twitter vs Facebook (May 2021)
This study characterises cross-platform similarities and differences in popular sources, diffusion patterns, influencers, coordination, and automation. Comparing the two platforms, it finds divergence among the prevalence of popular low-credibility sources and suspicious videos.
Should spreading anti-vaccine misinformation be criminalised? (17/02/2021)
The spread of false health information casts a shadow over required vaccine coverage. The article examines both sides of the story, with one side arguing that we must, reluctantly, consider criminalising people who deliberately spread false information and the other arguing that criminalisation may do more harm than good. Read more>>>
International experiences with co-production and people centredness offer lessons for covid-19 responses (16/02/2021)
This article demonstrates that we can learn from the experiences of low and middle income countries in co-producing knowledge and working with communities to find feasible and acceptable solutions to healthcare concerns. Putting patients at the centre of their care but it is surely a necessary and welcome step towards more equitable, accountable, and resilient health systems. Read more>>>
The Lancet: “The European Medicines Agency’s EU conditional marketing authorisations for COVID-19 vaccines” (14/01/2021)
The approvals of the first COVID-19 vaccines in the EU are a key milestone in the response to COVID-19. The first EU marketing authorisations for COVID-19 vaccines not only offer hope to control the pandemic but also provide proof of concept for a new approach to vaccine development in response to future emerging health threats. Read Full Article>>>
Covid. The commitment of patient associations: a national survey and a participation space (05/06/2020)
The role of the associations has proved essential in this emergency and the new governance system of the NHS in the aftermath of Covid-19 cannot leave aside mechanisms of integration and representation capable of giving voice to this subject. Hence the need to gather this experience to build a concrete design of structured participation of patient associations at the national and regional institutional level. Read full article (available in Italian) >>>
The toll beyond the COVID-19 deaths (14/04/2020)
As citizens in most countries follow the emotionally charged Covid-19 media coverage, which may itself be having an adverse effect on public health, the case for solidarity on shielding, social distancing, lockdown, and increased surveillance has largely been accepted. This blogpost assesses the wider health impact of the pandemic. Read Full Article>>>
The views of patients and the public should be included in policy responses to Covid-19 (30/03/2020)
The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting people’s lives around the globe and testing the resilience of health systems and social cohesion. Decision makers are trying to put in place effective control measures in an environment that is changing rapidly. The emphasis on maintaining universal health coverage and leaving no one behind is welcome (WHO). This opinion piece highlights that patients and our communities are a critical partner in or out of crisis and in the quest towards more equitable, sustainable and resilient health systems. Read full article>>>
Disabled People have Unique Perspectives on Solitude (25/03/2020)
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we are all becoming intimately acquainted with solitude. One facet of this has been some interesting discussions with the disability community. Various claims are made for disabled people’s unique attitudes and approaches to the practice and art of being alone. Read full article>>>
DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTICS AND VACCINES
EMA published new safety updates for COVID-19 vaccines (12/05)
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) monitors the safety of COVID-19 vaccines authorised in the European Union (EU) extremely carefully. This enables the detection of any rare side effects that may emerge once many millions of people are vaccinated.
More than 870 million doses of vaccines have been given to people in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA), as of late April 2022.
The authorised COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials and have met EMA’s scientific standards for safety, efficacy and quality.
The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is continuously monitored and evaluated.
Monthly safety updates give an overview of the PRAC’s regular safety evaluation.
The vast majority of known side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are mild and short-lived.
Serious safety problems are extremely rare.
ICMRA published a report on the global regulatory response to the Omicron variant (21/01)
International regulators have published a report highlighting their discussions on the effectiveness of current vaccines against the COVID-19 Omicron variant, regulatory requirements for a variant vaccine and considerations on clinical study design. The workshop on the global response to the COVID-19 Omicron variant was organised under the umbrella of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) and took place on 12 January 2022.
Reviewing data on the impact of Omicron, the participants concluded that current vaccines offer less protection against infection and mild disease caused by this variant. However, vaccination continues to offer considerable protection from hospitalisation and severe COVID-19 with Omicron, especially after a booster dose. It is becoming increasingly clear that a booster dose is needed to extend vaccine protection.
EMA published an update on the use of mRNA vaccines during pregnancy (18/01)
Vaccination remains a major pillar of the response to COVID-19, particularly as variants of the virus continue to spread in EU/EEA countries. EMA’s COVID-19 task force (ETF) highlights the growing evidence indicating that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines do not cause pregnancy complications for expectant mothers and their babies.
The task force undertook a detailed review of several studies involving around 65,000 pregnancies at different stages. The review did not find any sign of an increased risk of pregnancy complications, miscarriages, preterm births or adverse effects in the unborn babies following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Despite some limitations in the data, the results appear consistent across studies looking at these outcomes.
EMA updated the risk management plan for COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen
The PRAC has recommended a change to the product information for Vaxzevria and COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen to include a warning to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and people receiving the vaccines of very rare cases of transverse myelitis (TM) reported following vaccination. TM has also been added as an adverse reaction of unknown frequency.
PATIENT PERSPECTIVES
From our unique position at the centre of the European Patient Community, we asked how patients with chronic conditions have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are some of the responses:
EPF Survey Report on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients & Patient Organisations
BMJ – How we coped with COVID-19 – and Silver Linings (10/12/2020)Doctors and patients tell Kathy Oxtoby what has got them through the year, and the positives they have taken from 2020. read more>>> The perspectives of 1,720 patient groups during the Covid-19 pandemicThe survey aggregates what patient organisations have learned about how various communities of patients are coping during the pandemic—patients with different medical conditions, in different countries. Judging by the feedback and commentaries from respondent patient groups, fear is a dominant theme among patients. Read Full Survey
EPF Member Patient PerspectivesBettina Ryll, Melanoma Patient Advocate (Sweden) |