Robert Koch Institute

• The global breast imaging market size is anticipated to reach USD 9.0 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 8.6%.
• The market growth mainly owes to the increase in the number of women suffering from breast cancer.
• Furthermore, the rising initiatives by various governments and NGOs to raise awareness about early diagnosis of breast cancer are anticipated to increase the demand for breast imaging.
• Increased prevalence of breast cancer, high R&D investments in breast cancer therapies, and developments in breast imaging modalities are the primary drivers driving the growth of the market.

• ECDC, Europes agency for public health, became operational in May 2015, and has been working since to strengthen Europes defences against communicable diseases.
• As ECDC reflects on the progress and developments of the past 15 years, the COVID-19 pandemic is a constant reminder of how important it is for all countries in the EU/EEA to work together in response to public health threats.

About ECDC

• The idea of creating a European public health agency emerged in 2003.
• ECDCs main role as an agency of the European Union is to strengthen Europes defences against communicable diseases.
• Over the last 15 years, ECDC has been working together with all EU/EEA countries in response to public health threats and emerging diseases.

Highlights of ECDC's work

Vaccine coverage

• Immunisation is a highly successful intervention to prevent communicable diseases with an evident need to sustain or achieve high vaccination coverage.
• However, decreasing coverage in some countries for important childhood vaccinations such as against measles, is threatening elimination plans as evidenced by outbreaks and very high numbers of cases in the years 2017 to 2019, in Europe.
• In April 2020, ECDC launched the European Vaccination Portal, providing accurate, objective, up-to-date evidence on vaccines and vaccination in general.
• The portal is a result of a cooperation between the European Commission, The European Medicines Agency, and ECDC.

Antibiotic resistance

• However, antibiotic resistance remains a major European and global public health problem.
• Since 2008, ECDC has been partnering with numerous academic and scientific organisations, as well as the European Commission and the World Health Organizations Regional Office for Europe to coordinate the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD), a European health initiative that promotes the prudent use of antibiotics.
• More than 43 countries in the European Region have so far conducted campaigns under the EAAD umbrella.
• ECDC also promotes the One Health approach, a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.

Whole genome sequencing

• Whole genome sequencing is a major development that has rapidly transformed the way epidemiologists perform investigations and analyses.In particular, cross-border outbreak identification is facilitated by comparison of sequences, preferably through public accessible databases.ECDC has delivered strategies and frameworks for the integration of whole genome sequencing into European disease surveillance.
• Whole genome sequencing is now widely used for routine surveillance in the EU, and this has strengthened EU cross-border outbreak investigation and public health surveillance.

Hepatitis monitoring

• Since its establishment, ECDC has been promoting the elimination of viral hepatitis.
• In May 2020, the first monitoring report on the progress towards the elimination of hepatitis B and C across EU/EEA countries was published.
• Read more on monitoring progress towards the elimination of hepatitis B and C in the EU/EEA

International collaboration

• International collaboration is key to increased health security through exchange of experience and information as well as support to countries to enhance their capacities and capabilities to detect, assess, respond, and prevent health threats caused by infectious diseases.
• The Centre supports the Commission in the development of EU policies related to infectious diseases and follows up on their implementation (e.g.
• Decision No 1082/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2013 on serious cross-border threats to health).
• ECDC has an excellent and sustained working relationship with European Parliament, in particular the European Parliament Committee for Public Health (ENVI).
• ECDC wants to familiarise the ENP partner countries with EU standards, practices and legislation in the field of disease prevention and control.