health
From forever chemicals to safer alternatives: coordinated efforts to improve chemical safety in Europe
The presence of harmful chemicals in the environment, such as PFAS, pesticides and harmful chemicals found in (micro) plastics, poses a challenge. Not only to our planet but also to our health. What can we do to minimise chemical risks? We spoke with Pascal Sanders, project coordinator of PARC (Partnership for the Assessment of Risks ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Michele Cecchini on e-cigarettes and young people
Adjunct Professor and Medical Doctor Michele Cecchini leads the work on public health at the OECD - the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, helping countries implement better public health policies for better lives. Based on your work with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), how do economic evaluations influence the development and ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Chandrashekhar T. Sreeramareddy on e-cigarettes and young people
Associate Professor Chandrashekhar T. Sreeramareddy does research in epidemiology and control of tuberculosis, tobacco use and tobacco control issues. Why are electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) becoming so popular among young people? Chandrashekhar T. Sreeramareddy: First and foremost, e-cigarettes are very well marketed on many online media platforms, including social media, which younger people widely use. Secondly, ...
A scientist’s opinion: Interview with Bertalan Meskó on the use of artificial intelligence in public health
Dr. Bertalan Meskó works at Semmelweis Medical School in Budapest (Hungary) and is also known as “The Medical Futurist”. He specialises in analysing the impact of technologies on global medicine and healthcare. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare systems, concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and transparency have surfaced. In your opinion, what strategies ...
A scientist’s opinion: Interview with Wannes Van Hoof on the use of artificial intelligence in public health
Dr. Wannes Van Hoof PhD works at the Cancer Centre of the Belgian Institute of Public Health Sciensano. There, he leads a team working on patient/citizen engagement and the ethical aspects of the secondary use of health data, innovative cancer therapies and the implementation of genomic technologies in healthcare. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly ...
A scientist’s opinion: Interview with Jan Peter Lesschen on soil health and climate
Dr Jan Peter Lesschen is a senior researcher and project leader on soil and climate at the Dutch institute Wageningen Environmental Research where he focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, soil science, land use and regional scale modelling. It is estimated that 60-70% of European soils are in an unhealthy state – what is causing this ...
A scientist’s opinion: Interview with José Gomez on soil health and climate
Agricultural engineer José A. Gomez of the Spanish National Research Council researches soil management systems in agricultural areas. He also is the project coordinator of the Horizon 2020 funded project TUdi that develops solutions for restoring soil health. It is estimated that 60-70% of European soils are in an unhealthy state – why is this ...
STOA’s work on health during a term marked by the Covid-19 pandemic
In the 2019-2024 European Parliament legislative term, the EU faced the biggest health crisis of a generation: Covid-19 and its consequences. The pandemic put health in the spotlight of European decision-making and it also featured prominently in the work of the European Parliament’s panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) over the past ...