Commenting on today’s State of the European Union speech by European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) President Archie Turnbull said:

“The Commission President has at long last showed his appreciation for Europe’s role in protecting health. We welcome his recognition that recent measles cases were avoidable and that European action is needed to stop such preventable tragedies. There are many more avoidable tragedies where more EU action is urgently needed during this President’s watch: he must act now on antibiotic resistant ‘superbugs’ and the epidemic levels of other preventable diseases, especially those caused by smoking, bad air quality, unhealthy food and drink. In line with President Juncker’s stand on equality of opportunity, if health inequalities are not properly addressed, it could fundamentally undermine the European project.”