Committee on Public Health

At the SANT meeting of 14th of April, Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, presented the proposal for a regulation as regards simplifying and reducing the burden of the rules on medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, which was followed by the Q&A session with the Members.

On Tuesday, 24 March 2026, the FEMM Committee jointly with the Committee on Public Health held a hearing on “Menopause care in the EU“.

Chagas disease, also called the “silent” or “silenced disease,” is a neglected tropical disease mostly found in Latin America, affecting mainly poor and marginalized populations. The disease is caused by a parasite, also known as the ‘kissing bug’.

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April to mark the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. In 2026, the theme “Together for health. Stand with science” highlights the importance of science and international cooperation in improving health for people, animals, and the environment. Scientific progress has greatly improved health over the past century.

This day highlights the need to improve the quality of life of people with autism so they can fully participate in society. Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that begins in early childhood and affects social interaction, communication, behaviour, and sensory processing. It occurs worldwide and affects about 1 in 100 people regardless of background.

Bipolar disorder is a brain-based mental health condition marked by extreme mood swings between manic (or hypomanic) and depressive episodes, affecting energy, thinking, and daily functioning. It impacts about 1 in 200 people worldwide and can disrupt work, school, and relationships.

On 24 March, at the joint ENVI-SANT meeting, Commission presented the proposal amending Directives 2001/18/EC (GMOs Directive) and 2010/53/EU (Human Organs Directive) as part of the EU Biotechnology Act. The proposal aims to modernise EU biotechnology rules by creating a more tailored regulatory framework for genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) and clarifying oversight of organ processing technologies used prior to transplantation.

On 24 March, at the joint SANT-ENVI meeting, Members considered the draft report on the proposal to reform the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The proposal aims to strengthen EU preparedness and response to increasingly frequent and complex crises, including natural disasters, hybrid threats and cross-border health emergencies.

World Tuberculosis Day raises awareness about tuberculosis (TB), an airborne disease caused by bacteria that mainly affects the lungs. Despite being preventable and curable, TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, with 10 million cases and 1.5 million deaths each year. It disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries and the poorest communities. Delayed diagnosis, limited healthcare access, and drug resistance continue to fuel this preventable global health crisis.