Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/759 |

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(2004/C 84 E/0855)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0080/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(20 January 2004)

Subject:   Rheumatism and Biomed programme

According to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), more than 50 % of Europe's population suffer, at one time or another, from an acute or chronic rheumatic disease. Has the Commission given consideration to including the combating of rheumatic diseases as a theme under the Biomed programme and if so, what conclusions has it come to?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2004)

The Commission's commitment in rheumatic diseases research is evident in eight on-going projects related to rheumatic diseases, financed with an EU financial contribution of more than EUR 11 million under the 5th Framework Programme on Research and Technological Development. The results of these projects are expected from 2004 onwards.

In the 6th Framework Programme (FP) health related research is mainly financed under priority one ‘life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health’. This programme focuses on basic research in functional genomics, applications of genomics and biotechnology, and applications related to medicine and health care. Already under the first call of priority one of the 6th FP a project related to tissue and cell engineering, which has a strong relevance for rheumatic diseases, has been selected and is currently under negotiation. The outcome of the second call, with a closure date of 13 November 2003, will be available mid-2004.

The Commission is defining at present topics to be considered for future calls of this priority with its scientific programme advisory group and its programme committee. It is the intention of the Commission to propose another topic for research related to rheumatic diseases in a later call of priority 1.

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