Pharmaceutical security, digital-era mental health for youth, and disease prevention dominated discussions during this week's informal meeting of the EU's health ministers in Warsaw.
At Tuesday's meeting, it was widely accepted that policy reforms, education, and potential revisions to the tobacco directive should be employed to strengthen tobacco and alcohol prevention.
Polish Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna highlighted the impact of digital technologies on youth mental health as a primary concern. "We want to discuss how to create a safe digital world for the young generation," she stated, emphasising the need for responsible shaping of the digital landscape.
The session featured a unique perspective from three students of the III High School in Gdynia – Julia Perlejewska, Zuzanna Jończyk, and Hanna Kuźmitowicz – who shared insights on social media's effects on their generation.
Perlejewska remarked: "[The] data is alarming. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have the same impact on young people as drugs. Constant active participation on these platforms activates certain brain structures, which can lead to problems with concentration, fatigue, and distorted perception of reality."
They indicated that social media perfectly utilises the dopamine release mechanism, a neurotransmitter in the part of the brain called the reward system. "As a result, young people are overstimulated. Additionally, a constant presence on platforms like Facebook affects real interpersonal relationships," they said.
Experts at the meeting acknowledged the double-edged nature of digital technology. While it provides easy access to mental health resources and support networks, it also exposes youth to harmful behaviours and online shaming.
The ministers discussed the need for a balanced approach that leverages the benefits of digital connectivity while mitigating its risks.
In the face of these challenges, the Polish presidency emphasised the need to consider digital factors in mental health policies and take action at the international level.
Preventive health strategies
The gathering, which included representatives from EU health institutions and, for the first time, Ukraine, addressed critical issues such as youth mental health in the digital age, EU medicine security, and health promotion and disease prevention.
"It was a long but very productive meeting," Polish Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna said during a press conference after the meeting.
The Polish presidency aims to adopt Council conclusions during the formal EPSCO Health Council in June.
Ministers discussed public health challenges, focusing on preventive strategies for ageing populations and the financial burden of chronic diseases on healthcare systems.
"We are ageing societies in EU countries. Older societies mean multimorbidity. We suffer from cardiovascular diseases, cancer - this is a huge financial burden for healthcare systems," Leszczyna explained.
She added, "It's difficult to accept that the law allows our citizens to smoke cigarettes, including children and adolescents, eat highly processed food that is very cheap, and abuse alcohol."
The discussion explored how public policies influence health, particularly regarding smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use. "Health ministers are motivated to open the tobacco directive. I am convinced that we will do it," Leszczyna stated.
They also discussed how education and various tools can limit the availability of these substances. They emphasised the importance of joint action for health and teaching about it in various fields. "The aim of the discussion was to jointly find ways to promote health among EU residents," Leszczyna explained.
EU Pharmaceutical security
The meeting also addressed pharmaceutical security within the EU, considering patient perspectives and the need for access to safe and effective therapies.
Minister Leszczyna emphasised the importance of European pharmaceutical independence in the current geopolitical climate. She noted that Europe had recognised the need for self-reliance in defence, and health ministers are now applying this mindset to pharmaceutical security.
"European health ministers are maturing to the idea that pharmaceutical security means having companies in Europe producing both generic and innovative medicines," Leszczyna stated. She highlighted that this approach would strengthen supply chains and boost competitiveness in the European pharmaceutical sector.
The Critical Medicines Act aims to support the production of medicines in the Union and secure the active substances needed to produce them. This initiative comes in response to the increasing dominance of non-EU production of raw materials and active pharmaceutical ingredients, which has led to vulnerabilities in supply chains.
"I am pleased that we all agree that in addition to competitiveness, the second pillar of the pharmaceutical package must be access to medicines for all patients, all Europeans, regardless of which country they live in. Even in smaller and less wealthy countries, where modern drugs don't reach at all today," Leszczyna added.
[Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire]
