Exclusively written for the Sting by Ms Ude Ucha Kalu, a medical student at the Federal University of Lagos, Nigeria. Ms Kalu is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA). Health literacy and health policy are important, but why? Health literacy refers to the ability and degree to which an individual can read, utilize information of healthcare to […]Where do health literacy and health policy meet?
July 29, 2016 by 1 Comment
Exclusively written for the Sting by Ms Ude Ucha Kalu, a medical student at the Federal University of Lagos, Nigeria. Ms Kalu is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA). Health literacy and health policy are important, but why? Health literacy refers to the ability and degree to which an individual can read, utilize information of healthcare to […]The issue of health literacy and how it affects European health policies
July 27, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Exclusively written for the Sting by Ms Lili Diana Szabo, a medical student at Semmelweis University, Hungary. Ms Szabo is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA). Health literacy is a growing topic that affects health systems and trends worldwide. There is no question that modern health policies should be influenced by health literacy. The […]“Access denied”: the Greek health system under pressure
July 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Exclusively written for the Sting by Ms Vassiliki Samartzi, a third year medical student at University of Patras, Greece and Mr Nikolaos Karvelas, first year medical student at University of Athens, Greece. Both students are affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA). Access to healthcare, one of the core human rights, nowadays is not taken for granted […]A reflection of health inequity in recent epidemics
July 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Exclusively written for the Sting by Miss Charlene Chau, student and global health enthusiast, eager to exchange solutions on global health issues and health policies. Miss Chau is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA). Ebola, the cause of human and primate hemorrhages; polio, the root of flaccid paralysis; Zika, the hypothesised culprit of microcephaly in […]Far from a healthy Health Workforce: lack of workforce planning leaves our citizens without access to proper care
February 5, 2016 by 1 Comment
This article was exclusively written for the Sting by Ms Stijntje Dijk, Liaison Officer for Medical Education issues at the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). We write to you today as the representatives of medical students worldwide to express our deep concern for the access to healthcare as well as the wellbeing of […]A Sting Exclusive: “eHealth can change many dimensions of how the healthcare area functions”, Polish MEP Michal Boni underscores from Brussels
December 4, 2015 by 1 Comment
Written by Michal Boni, Polish MEP with the European People’s Party (EPP) There are completely new opportunities related to the healthcare area. The new drivers come from the digital revolution. Digital devices are around us – everywhere. We have computers in our pockets. We use wearables with chips monitoring the real-time state of our health […]Pharmaceuticals spend millions to push TTIP while consumer groups spend peanuts
September 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment
While the EU is dramatically exposed to an unprecedented migration crisis, a new report by the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) reveals something that is destined to be largely discussed in the immediate future. The Brussels-based, non-profit research and campaign group, whose aim is to expose any effects of corporate lobbying on EU policy making, last week […]The West and Russia accomplished the dismembering and the economic destruction of Ukraine
March 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment
With the Minsk Agreement the West and Russia finally got what they wanted or close to that from Ukraine, not minding much about leaving the miserable country in ruins, its map ruthlessly chopped and the economy in a perfect chaos. On the one side the EU or rather Berlin and Paris plus Washington and on […]Europe votes against GMOs but the Council votes for TTIP
November 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Yesterday afternoon good news came out of the European Parliament; good news for the anti-GM (Genetically Modified Organisms) movement and hopefully for the EU too. The Environment Committee of the European Parliament (ENVI) voted in favour of the right of the member-states to ban GMOs from their territories with 53 votes to 11 and 2 […]Cancer research put at risk by General Data Protection Regulation? The possible dangers of a data privacy EU mania
July 30, 2014 by Leave a Comment
One of the most important debate topics of the last months in the EU has been data privacy and data protection regulation. Whether it was for a major trade agreement proposal or for the biggest search engine of the world, it makes no difference since all data privacy stakeholders have been always kept busy. Having remained basically static for […]Mental Health Policy, a significant driver for growth
May 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Evidence that demonstrates the impact of mental health disorders is overwhelming in modern societies. Mental illness is a primary source of distress, social fracture and financial leakages. Mental illness is all around but apparently it is a very well masked enemy… nobody seems to see it… According to WHO, mental disorders represent almost 12% of […]The EU Parliament backs the ‘Right2Water’ initiative all the way through
February 17, 2014 by 1 Comment
This afternoon the European Parliament is to hold a public hearing on the universal right to clean water, the first such hearing under the European Citizens’ Initiative, which enables the public to ask the EU authorities to table new legislation, provided the initiative is backed by one million people across seven member states. The ‘right2Water’ […]EU Commission: Once in every 20 beef meals you eat…horse probably with drugs in it
April 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
This week the European Commission, and in order to be fair and precise, the European Commissioner Tonio Borg, tried once more to convince 500.7 million European consumers that the horsemeat and the Phenylbutazone scandal didn’t reveal any loopholes, in the EU food quality control systems. In a European Commission Press release issued at the beginning […]The Commission breathless behind the horsemeat scandal
February 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The horsemeat scandal is still running free all over the European Union. Yesterday, a pompously named EU Commission group entitled, “Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health” (SCoFCAH), unanimously agreed in an extraordinary meeting, that the measures proposed by Commissioner Tonio Borg are adequate to counter the health and the fraud problem related to […]Is there a drug for every disease?
December 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Pharmaceutical firms in Europe have an awkward relation with their customers. The truth is that their selling prices and product licencing are directly or indirectly controlled by the buyers, that is governments, or government control health insurance schemes, offering almost free health services to citizens. As everybody knows governments are not only able to influence […]
