ecdc.europa.eu

Tommi Asikainen, Tubingen, 24 October 2008

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Modelling as a tool for public health, role and structure of European Union wide networks

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EC funded networks in general

•FP 6– Aimed to increase cooperation between borders

– Expansion of EU

– Inclusion of less resourced countries

– Scientific excellence not necessary

•FP 7– Scientific excellence important

– Added value to include ”new” EU countries– Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Hungary, Czech

republic, Bulgaria, Slovak Republic, Poland and Slovenia

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FP 6 & DG Sanco PROJECTS

FP 6 Year EC

•POLYMOD 2004-2008 1.6 M€

•SARSTRANS 2005-2007 1.7 M€

•SarsControl 2005-2007 2.5 M€

•Inftrans 2005-2008 1.4 M€

•EDEN 2005-2010 11.5 M€

DG Sanco Year EC

•ModelRel 2004-2007 0.8 M€

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FP7 projects with modelling parts

• FluModCont

• Project on emerging infections

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Public awareness

• FP 6– A lof of information available at the Commission

– Not accessible for the publicECDC has access to these

– Available in scientific publications

• FP 7– DG Research homepage

– Increase public awarenessSome information will be published from the projects

– Want to avoid duplication of research

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Use of networks

• Networks represented at meetings– Very rarely

– People are not aware of these of the activities of the networks

• Ways of incorporating networks into public health– Modelling meetings

– Pandemic planning assumptions

– Surveillance in a pandemic

– Networks would probably gain most by being exposed to ”new challenges”, within the objectives of their application.

• Creation of new networks– NEMO

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NEMO

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European wide modelers networks

1. Training of new modellers

2. Network of contact persons in each country– Person linked between public health and modellers

Should be two separate networks

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EPIET (European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training)

• 27 Countries, ECDC and WHO

• 19 Training sites

• Supervisors

• Training activities

• Language

• Cross-border investigations

• International missions

• 102 Graduates

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Training of modelers

•Inclusion into EPIET ?– Access to non modelling courses

– Could increase EPIET with a short modelling module– Requested by many EPIET fellows

– Grant for two years

– International expertise

•Grant for training abroad ?

•Short specialised courses ?

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Training of modelers

1. Identify a real problem to work on

2. Possibility to talk with relevant expertise• ”Where does the data come from”

• Senior modelers

3. Access to data

4. Possibility to communicate the results to relevant bodies

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Networks of contact persons in each country

• Strong links with ECDC, EC, WHO activities

• National contactpoints should keep contacts with modellers in their country

• Meetings of disease theme specific subjects– Each country could send a modeller specialized in the

theme

• Network could be used for making proposals involving many Member States

– ”Dream project” from European Commission point of view

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"I would like to consult Europe – but do not know the number." (Henry Kissinger)

MSs, institutions, experts, NGOs in and outside Europe should all know "the number of ECDC":

www.ecdc.europa.eu

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Thank you

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