Health
The role of AI in public health – future perspectives
Artificial Intelligence (AI) already has and will continue to have significant impacts on many areas, including health and public health. This transformative technology can perform a multitude of tasks in healthcare, from answering patient questions to assisting with surgeries and developing new pharmaceutical products. Which are the benefits and harms of using AI in these fields? We asked experts about the considerations of health ethics and AI in public health.
Protecting the mental well-being of European youth: What can be done?
In Europe, the number of young people (aged 18-29) with mental health problems has at least doubled since the beginning of COVID-19. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents aged 15–19 in our continent. In addition, almost two-thirds of young people are at risk of depression. Mental health issues are now ...
Prof. Francesco Forastiere: Understanding industrial air pollution and its health impacts in the EU
Professor Francesco Forastiere, a renowned Italian environmental epidemiologist. He recently co-authored a newly published study on industrial air pollution in the EU. He is also a temporary adviser to the World Health Organization. The study was commissioned by the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology. Focusing on regions like the Ruhr ...
Tackling physical inactivity in Europe: how can we encourage a healthier lifestyle?
Despite the widely recognised advantages of an active lifestyle, including lowering the risk of chronic diseases and preventing premature death, Europeans don’t exercise enough. The data from the OECD's report "Step Up! Tackling the Burden of Insufficient Physical Activity in Europe” showcase an alarming situation within Europe, as around 45% of Europeans declare that they ...
Interview with Prof. Aïda Solé-Auró on factors that determine healthy ageing
Currently, in response to last year’s Council invitation, the Commission is developing a set of key policy tools to assist Member States in navigating the impacts of an ageing population on Europe’s competitiveness and its society. These plans took the stage in a recent plenary debate in the European Parliament on healthy lifestyles and active ...
Risks and challenges of the agent of the lung disease Mycoplasma pneumoniae
The prevalence of this atypical lung infection agent is widely underestimated - people are often not even aware that they have it - and many antibiotics cannot effectively treat it; Mycoplasma pneumoniae outbreaks occur every few years. This winter, countries like China, Denmark, France and the Netherlands reported an increase in cases, especially in children. ...
‘We should protect the intangible aspects of our mental worlds’
"Once we start seeing ourselves only in terms of data, we’ve reduced ourselves to something that can be bought and sold." Interview with philosopher and cognitive scientist Ophelia Deroy. Professor Ophelia Deroy (Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Munich Interactive Intelligence lab and University of London) is an expert in an interesting and relatively new domain: Neuro ...
Neurorights: Do our brains need to be protected by legislation?
Interview with Prof. Guilherme Wood on neurorights Today we stand on the threshold of a new revolution: neurotechnology – devices and procedures that seek to access, assess, emulate and act on neural systems – is booming. Driven by new developments in artificial intelligence, they can be used for medical purposes, such as helping paralysed people ...