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McGinley J, Healy MG, Ryan PC, O'Driscoll H, Mellander PE, Morrison L, Siggins A. Impact of historical legacy pesticides on achieving legislative goals in Europe. Sci Total Environ 2023; 873:162312. [PMID: 36805066 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to optimise food production. However, the movement of pesticides into water bodies negatively impacts aquatic environments. The European Union (EU) aims to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly through its current Farm to Fork strategy. As part of this strategy, the EU plans to reduce the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50 % by 2030. The attainment of this target may be compromised by the prevalence of legacy pesticides arising from historical applications to land, which can persist in the environment for several decades. The current EU Farm to Fork policy overlooks the potential challenges of legacy pesticides and requirements for their remediation. In this review, the current knowledge regarding pesticide use in Europe, as well as pathways of pesticide movement to waterways, are investigated. The issues of legacy pesticides, including exceedances, are examined, and existing and emerging methods of pesticide remediation, particularly of legacy pesticides, are discussed. The fact that some legacy pesticides can be detected in water samples, more than twenty-five years after they were prohibited, highlights the need for improved EU strategies and policies aimed at targeting legacy pesticides in order to meet future targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- J McGinley
- Civil Engineering, University of Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - M G Healy
- Civil Engineering, University of Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - P C Ryan
- Discipline of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland; Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Harmon O'Driscoll
- Discipline of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - P-E Mellander
- Agricultural Catchments Programme, Teagasc Environmental Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford, Ireland
| | - L Morrison
- Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland; Earth and Ocean Sciences, Earth and Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - A Siggins
- Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Ireland.
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Del Pace L, Viviani L, Straccia M. Researchers and Their Experimental Models: A Pilot Survey in the Context of the European Union Health and Life Science Research. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:2778. [PMID: 36290164 DOI: 10.3390/ani12202778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Scientists in biomedical research use models and methods to constantly improve health in society. This research heavily relies on animal experimentation, and in recent decades, research and researchers have been questioned by societal stakeholders about their way of conducting research. In order to inform science policy makers, we asked the researchers about the use of their experimental models and their view about the role of external stakeholders in their work. Abstract A significant debate is ongoing on the effectiveness of animal experimentation, due to the increasing reports of failure in the translation of results from preclinical animal experiments to human patients. Scientific, ethical, social and economic considerations linked to the use of animals raise concerns in a variety of societal contributors (regulators, policy makers, non-governmental organisations, industry, etc.). The aim of this study was to record researchers’ voices about their vision on this science evolution, to reconstruct as truthful as possible an image of the reality of health and life science research, by using a key instrument in the hands of the researcher: the experimental models. Hence, we surveyed European-based health and life sciences researchers, to reconstruct and decipher the varying orientations and opinions of this community over these large transformations. In the interest of advancing the public debate and more accurately guide the policy of research, it is important that policy makers, society, scientists and all stakeholders (1) mature as comprehensive as possible an understanding of the researchers’ perspectives on the selection and establishment of the experimental models, and (2) that researchers publicly share the research community opinions regarding the external factors influencing their professional work. Our results highlighted a general homogeneity of answers from the 117 respondents. However, some discrepancies on specific key issues and topics were registered in the subgroups. These recorded divergent views might prove useful to policy makers and regulators to calibrate their agenda and shape the future of the European health and life science research. Overall, the results of this pilot study highlight the need of a continuous, open and broad discussion between researchers and science policy stakeholders.
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Ionescu RV, Antohi VM, Zlati ML, Georgescu LP, Iticescu C. To a Green Economy across the European Union. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:12427. [PMID: 36231723 PMCID: PMC9564718 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
"Is the green economy a real solution to the present economic development?" represents the main question of the present research. The paper deals with assessing the impact of innovation on the green economy and quality of life through policies promoted at the European Union (EU) level. The objectives of the paper are to assess the impact level of the policy implementation across the Member States through the research and development (R&D) process and to identify models for the development of the green economy in Europe. The applied methods are empirical and analytical based on the study of literature, econometric modeling, pivoting econometric models, trend synthesis, prioritization, and staging of policy experimentation in the Member States through data processing and statistical programs. The results consist in obtaining development models for the green economy at the EU and national levels. In conclusion, the paper contributes to the early identification of vulnerabilities that may affect the development of European strategic projects in relation to events and security breaches occurring at the EU level at any given time.
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López-Ballesteros A, Delaney A, Quirke J, Stout JC, Saunders M, Carolan JC, White B, Stanley DA. Assessing availability of European plant protection product data: an example evaluating basic area treated. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13586. [PMID: 35855900 PMCID: PMC9288163 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Besides the benefits of plant protection products (PPPs) for agricultural production, there is an increasing acknowledgement of the associated potential environmental risks. Here, we examine the feasibility of summarizing the extent of PPP usage at the country level, using Ireland as a case study, as well as at the European level. We used the area over which PPPs are applied (basic area) as an example variable that is relevant to initially assess the geographic extent of environmental risk. In Irish agricultural systems, which are primarily grass-based, herbicides fluroxypyr and glyphosate are the most widely applied active substances (ASs) in terms of basic area, followed by the fungicides chlorothalonil and prothioconazole that are closely associated with arable crops. Although all EU countries are subject to Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009, which sets the obligation of PPP usage data reporting at the national level, we only found usable data that met our criteria for Estonia, Germany, Finland, and Spain (4 of 30 countries reviewed). Overall, the most widely applied fungicide and herbicide in terms of basic area were prothioconazole (20%, 7% and 5% of national cultivated areas of Germany, Estonia and Ireland) and glyphosate (11%, 8% and 5% of national cultivated areas of Spain, Estonia and Ireland) respectively, although evaluations using application frequency may result in the observation of different trends. Several recommendations are proposed to tackle current data gaps and deficiencies in accessibility and usability of pesticide usage data across the EU in order to better inform environmental risk assessment and promote evidence-based policymaking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana López-Ballesteros
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Systems and the Environment, Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain,School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aoife Delaney
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland,National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland
| | - James Quirke
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Jane C. Stout
- Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Matthew Saunders
- Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - James C. Carolan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Blánaid White
- School of Chemical Sciences, DCU Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dara A. Stanley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Vanholder R, Stel VS, Jager KJ, Lameire N, Loud F, Oberbauer R, de Jong RW, Zoccali C. How to increase kidney transplant activity throughout Europe-an advocacy review by the European Kidney Health Alliance. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2020; 34:1254-1261. [PMID: 30629203 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfy390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney transplantation offers better outcomes and quality of life at lower societal costs compared with other options of renal replacement therapy. In this review of the European Kidney Health Alliance, the current status of kidney transplantation throughout Europe and suggestions for improvement of transplantation rates are reported. Although the European Union (EU) has made considerable efforts in the previous decade to stimulate transplantation activity, the discrepancies among European countries suggest that there is still room for improvement. The EU efforts have partially been neutralized by external factors such as economic crises or legal issues, especially the illicit manipulation of waiting lists. Hence, growth in the application of transplantation throughout Europe virtually remained unchanged over the last few years. Continued efforts are warranted to further stimulate transplantation rates, along with the current registration and data analysis efforts supported by the EU in the Effect of Differing Kidney Disease Treatment Modalities and Organ Donation and Transplantation Practices on Health Expenditure and Patient Outcomes project. Future actions should concentrate on organization, harmonization and improvement of the legal consent framework, population education and financial stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vianda S Stel
- ERA-EDTA Registry, Department of Medical Informatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kitty J Jager
- ERA-EDTA Registry, Department of Medical Informatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Norbert Lameire
- Nephrology Section, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Rainer Oberbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rianne W de Jong
- ERA-EDTA Registry, Department of Medical Informatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carmine Zoccali
- CNR-IFC, Clinical Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Hypertension and Renal Diseases, Ospedali Riuniti, Reggio Calabria, Italy
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Volovici V, Ercole A, Citerio G, Stocchetti N, Haitsma IK, Huijben JA, Dirven CMF, van der Jagt M, Steyerberg EW, Nelson D, Cnossen MC, Maas AIR, Polinder S, Menon DK, Lingsma HF. Intensive care admission criteria for traumatic brain injury patients across Europe. J Crit Care 2018; 49:158-161. [PMID: 30447560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Within a prospective, observational, multi-center cohort study 68 hospitals (of which 66 responded), mostly academic (n = 60, 91%) level I trauma centers (n = 44, 67%) in 20 countries were asked to complete questionnaires regarding the "standard of care" for severe neurotrauma patients in their hospitals. From the questionnaire pertaining to ICU management, 12 questions related to admission criteria were selected for this analysis. The questionnaires were completed by 66 centers. The median number of TBI patients admitted to the ICU was 92 [interquartile range (IQR): 52-160] annually. Admission policy varied; in 45 (68%) centers, patients with a Glasgow Come Score (GCS) between 13 and 15 without CT abnormalities but with other risk factors would be admitted to the ICU while the rest indicated that they would not admit these patients routinely to the ICU. We found no association between ICU admission policy and the presence of a dedicated neuro ICU, the discipline in charge of rounds, the presence of step down beds or geographic location (North- Western Europe vs. South - Eastern Europe and Israel). Variation in admission policy, primarily of mild TBI patients to ICU exists, even among high-volume academic centers and seems to be largely independent of other center characteristics. The observed variation suggests a role for comparative effectiveness research to investigate the potential benefit and cost-effectiveness of a liberal versus more restrictive admission policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Volovici
- Department of Neurosurgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Medical Decision Making, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ari Ercole
- Division of Anesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Giuseppe Citerio
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy; Neurointensive Care Unit, San Gerardo Hospital, ASST-Monza, Monza, Italy
| | - Nino Stocchetti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplants, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Iain K Haitsma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jilske A Huijben
- Center for Medical Decision Making, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Ewout W Steyerberg
- Center for Medical Decision Making, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - David Nelson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maryse C Cnossen
- Center for Medical Decision Making, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew I R Maas
- Department of Neurosurgery, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Suzanne Polinder
- Center for Medical Decision Making, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - David K Menon
- Division of Anesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hester F Lingsma
- Center for Medical Decision Making, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Field JK, Zulueta J, Veronesi G, Oudkerk M, Baldwin DR, Holst Pedersen J, Paci E, Horgan D, de Koning HJ. EU Policy on Lung Cancer CT Screening 2017. Biomed Hub 2017; 2:154-161. [PMID: 31988945 PMCID: PMC6945926 DOI: 10.1159/000479810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung cancer kills more Europeans than any other cancer. In 2013, 269,000 citizens of the EU-28 died from this disease. Lung cancer CT screening has the potential to detect lung cancer at an early stage and improve mortality. All of the randomised controlled trials and cohort low-dose CT (LDCT) screening trials across the world have identified very early stage disease (∼70%); the majority of these LDCT trial patients were suitable for surgical interventions and had a good clinical outcome. The 10-year survival in CT screen-detected cancer was shown to be even higher than the 5-year survival for early stage disease in clinical practice at 88%. METHODS Setting up of an EU Commission expert group can be done under Article 168(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to develop policy and recommendation for Lung cancer CT screening. The Expert Group would undertake: (a) assist the Commission in the drawing up policy documents, including guidelines and recommendations; (b) advise the Commission in the implementation of Union actions on screening and suggest improvements to the measures taken; (c) advise the Commission in the monitoring, evaluation and dissemination of the results of measures taken at Union and national level. RESULTS This EU Expert Group on lung cancer screening should be set up by the EU Commission to support the implementation and suggest recommendations for the lung cancer screening policy by 2019/2020. CONCLUSION Reduce lung cancer in Europe by undertaking a well-organised lung cancer CT screening programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- John K. Field
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Javier Zulueta
- University Clinic of Navarra, University of Navarra School of Medicine, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Giulia Veronesi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Humanitas Clinic and Research Centre, Milan, Italy
| | - Matthijs Oudkerk
- Center for Medical Imaging EB 45, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David R. Baldwin
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, David Evans Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, City Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jesper Holst Pedersen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery RT, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eugenio Paci
- ISPO Cancer Research and Prevention Institute Tuscany Region, Florence, Italy
| | - Denis Horgan
- European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
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Regniault A, Kupecz A, Gavey M, Mignolet O, De Carlo P, Meyer P, Bailey S. Legal and ethical concerns in personalized medicine: a European perspective. Per Med 2009; 6:517-528. [PMID: 29783304 DOI: 10.2217/pme.09.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Expectations in the integration of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice remain high in a number of therapeutic areas. This review focuses on the key legal and ethical issues concerning personalized medicine that have given rise to debate, law-making and/or Court decisions in Europe, especially involving: trial subject stratification during clinical trials; the protection of innovation in pharmacogenomics through intellectual property rights; the regulation of access to genetic testing; the regulatory framework for genetic testing devices; gene-based discrimination; legal duties and liabilities resulting from 'tailored' medicine; and confidentiality issues with respect to family members. This article explains these issues and identifies some of the difficulties encountered in seeking to build a harmonized legal framework within Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sarah Bailey
- Simmons & Simmons, 5, boulevard de la Madeleine, F-75001 Paris, France.
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