The new Advisory Committee on Public Health Emergencies (ACPHE) was set up in order to support and advise the European Commission and Member States before, during and after a public health emergency. It is an important element of the European Health Union for a stronger response to cross-border health threats.
Judit Simon (Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna) is one of the 44 independent expert members of ACPHE selected from a wide range of disciplines and sectors. In the event of a serious crisis, the Committee will advise whether or not a given situation should be recognized by the Commission as a public health emergency. In addition, the Committee will recommend measures to mitigate the effects of such a public health emergency.
ACPHE held its first face-to-face meeting in Luxembourg on 14-15 January. The meeting was opened by Commissioner Várhelyi and joined by representatives from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization, as well as advisory committee observers.