ESE's White Paper
ESE Launch White Paper titled “Hormones in European Health Policies: How endocrinologists can contribute towards a healthier Europe"
In May 2021 (4 may 2021), the European Society of Endocrinology published our first policy White Paper titled “Hormones in European Health Policies: How endocrinologists can contribute towards a healthier Europe.” You can download the White Paper here.
With this White Paper, we call on all policy makers in Europe, including the EU institutions and national governments across Europe, to recognise the importance of endocrinology in all health policies. Addressing the cross-cutting, and in many cases underlying element of hormones in policy is crucial in order to achieve the objectives set out in key programmes such as the plans to address COVID-19 and other pandemics, national cancer plans, obesity action plans, rare disease networks, chemicals legislation and much more.
The White Paper is based on desk research and a combination of qualitative and quantitative input from endocrinologists across Europe. A large survey carried out in 2018, and to which more than 3,000 endocrine health care providers participated, provided the first ever mapping of endocrinology in Europe and included an assessment of future trends and areas where improved efforts – clinical, research and policy – are needed. A second survey was conducted among the National Endocrine Societies that are members of the ESE Council of Affiliated Societies. Surveys were followed up with a careful assessment of European health policies, initially in the summer of 2019, with revisions in 2020 taking the effects of the coronavirus pandemic into consideration. In-depth interviews with endocrinology experts across various fields contributed to the development of responses to several consultations issued by the European Commission and formed the basis of the policy content of this White Paper.
The four chapters of the White Paper set out four key priority areas that are having some of the biggest effects on societal health today – obesity, rare diseases, cancer, and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). There are many more important topics for endocrinology – the prevention, diagnosis and interdisciplinary care of diabetes, avoiding osteoporosis and ensuring general bone health, vitamin D and iodine deficiencies as well as thyroid health, to name a few. While all endocrine diseases deserve heightened attention, the four priority areas have been chosen as they are among the most pressing at this point in time.
This historical document, first of its kind in Europe, has now received endorsement of 45 National Endocrine Societies and seven ESE associated Specialist Societies representing the vast majority of the more than 20,000 Endocrinologists across Europe. We hope that you share our vision that it is a milestone in the life of ESE and a tremendous step toward the path of inclusion which we started two years ago and now brings our Society to be key in the creation of a true Global Endocrine community and as a trustworthy and proactive partner of European Institutions.
ESE is grateful to the contributions of the affiliated national endocrine societies to our policy efforts, and to the ESE Corporate Members Ipsen, Pfizer, Recordati Rare Diseases and Takeda for providing unrestricted grant support to this webinar event.