02 Martch 2022

We are delighted to announce that two more MEPs have recently joined our interest group to boost European Parliament (EP) action to tackle the diabetes epidemic in the EU and improve the lives of the 33 million adults living with the condition today in the EU.

We would like to welcome MEP Christine Schneider (EPP / Germany) who is a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and a substitute member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) in the EP. MEP Schneider is a firm supporter of a ‘Health-in-all-policies’ approach that integrates various health considerations across sectors to improve the health of all people. Health is also a lynchpin of the Farm-to-Fork strategy and MEP Schneider is very interested in the role of nutrition and healthy and sustainable diets for optimal diabetes management and in reducing the risk of complications. As diabetes is essentially managed by those living with it, MEP Schneider also recognises the critical role of education to empower PwD to take an active role in their care, to make informed decisions together with their healthcare team, and to have the motivation to keep up with the necessary round-the clock management of their condition over many years.

We are also thrilled to have MEP Romana Jerković (S&D, Croatia) join the MMD interest group this month! MEP Jerković is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and a substitute member of the ENVI Committee in the EP. MEP Jerković is concerned about excessive health and social inequalities among Member States and citizens’ ability to access care and healthy choices. To live life to the full, PwD require access to medicines, supplies, technologies and care on an uninterrupted basis. However, people across Europe face significant inequalities in access to care which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis as well as by the recent advances in treatment options and new technologies and tools. Action is required across a number of dimensions to promote access and reduce inequalities – alongside the move towards patient-centred and value-based care. MEP Jerković also believes that we can reduce the alarming increase in diabetes incidence in the EU if we are persistent and work across a number of areas to create health-enabling environments and tackle common modifiable risk factors such as unhealthy diets, tobacco and alcohol use and polluted environment.

We look forward to working closely with MEP Christine Schneider, MEP Romana Jerković and all the MMD members to provide a political platform to support the diabetes community and elevate its united voice at the European level.