Health alliance stresses epidemiological research importance to H2020

Improving public health and reducing healthy inequalities should be the main focus of health research, the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) has said in response to an EU consultation.

The EPHA was providing its thoughts to the European Commission’s ‘Science 2.0: Science in Transition’ consultation. The organisation also emphasised that epidemiological research was “an important component” to Horizon 2020, describing it as: “the fundamental first step in the sequence of prevention and plays a significant role in public health policy making”.

The EPHA added that EU research and innovation funds should be focused on “protecting and improving public health”, thereby benefitting “the entire health system”. Improved methods for bringing new health products to market  were also advised, as well as greater bottom-up, involvement from stakeholders to help focus innovation that will benefit Europeans.

The statement and the EPHA’s submission can be read here in full.