EU Presidency focuses on rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
10/22/2010
Improving the management and prevention of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases was the agreed result from two day’s conference at the EU Presidency.
At the EU Presidency Conference on Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases October 19-20 in Brussels a set of recommendations for improving the management and prevention of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases were agreed upon by experts from academia, scientific societies, patient organisations, Member States’ government and social security institutions as well as EU bodies.
The agreed recommendations for improving the management and prevention of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases – with specific initiatives for their implementation - embrace six areas of intervention:
1. rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases as a priority on health policy agendas;
2. rights of patients to quality healthcare and to full inclusion in economic and social life;
3. early prevention and referral;
4. evidence-based treatment and standards of care;
5. patient involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of healthcare services;
6. and increased research funding.