Press Releases

Presentation of Declaration to European Commission

Details

Category: Press Releases

Published on Saturday, 30 August 2008 10:07

Hits: 16374

– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

• whereas nearly 14 million persons in the EU and 1 to 3 % of the general population worldwide suffer from fibromyalgia, a debilitating condition resulting in chronic widespread pain,
• whereas WHO has recognised fibromyalgia as a disease since 1996, but it is still not coded in the official index of conditions in the EU, which excludes patients from formal diagnosis,
• whereas patients with fibromyalgia make more GP visits, have more specialist referrals, are issued more sick notes and receive more in-patient services, thus generate a considerable economic burden for Europe,
• whereas people with fibromyalgia struggle to lead full and independent lives, unless they have access to appropriate treatment and support.

1. Calls on the Commission and the Council to:
   
   
• Develop a Community strategy on fibromyalgia in order to recognize this condition as a disease;
• Help raising awareness of the condition and facilitate access to information for health professionals and patients, by supporting European and National Awareness campaigns;
• Encourage Member States to improve access to diagnosis and treatment;
• Facilitate research on fibromyalgia through the work programmes of the EU 7^thFramework Programme for Research and future research programmes;
• Facilitate the development of programs for collecting data on fibromyalgia.
  
  
2. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council, the Commission and the parliaments of the Member States.