HHS delivers congratulatory remarks at the opening of the European CDC

Dr. Ed Thompson, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (view bio)

Stockholm, Sweden

September 27, 2004

• View ECDC Start Up Event Information

Good afternoon! It is indeed an honor and a pleasure for me to be with you today representing Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the historic opening of the European Center of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Let me begin by acknowledging Commissioner Byrne and bringing warm regards from Secretary Thompson. Commissioner Byrne, your vision and leadership has helped move the European CDC from an idea into the reality that we have come together this afternoon to celebrate.

I would like to acknowledge another good friend of Secretary Thompson---Minister for Public Health and Social Services Morgan Johansson. Also I bring greetings from the Secretary to the Mayor of Stockholm, Annika Billstrom and the other distinguished officials here with us today.

Stockholm is a strikingly beautiful city with a rich tradition of scientific and technological advancement. In many ways, Stockholm and the area around it provide an ideal location for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Secretary Thompson and Dr. Julie Gerberding, the Director of HHS's CDC, regret that they could not be here today. However, they convey their enthusiastic support and the commitment of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and our CDC. We all applaud the European CDC's inauguration and welcome opportunities for further and closer U.S-European collaboration.

During the European Union Health Ministerial in Cork, Ireland, last May, Secretary Thompson offered to establish a liaison officer from the U.S. CDC to the European CDC as soon as possible, and we would like to invite a liaison from the European CDC to the U.S. CDC.

The United States and Europe have a close and important relationship in public health promotion and disease prevention. As of this year, the U.S. CDC was already working with every one of the 15 members of the original European Union, and looks forward to enhancing and expanding our collaboration in the future with the 10 new member states that joined the Union this year.

The activities of the U.S. CDC with Europe have focused on five priority areas:

• Public health surveillance and response;

• Public health infrastructure and capacity- building;

• Disease and injury prevention and control;

• Applied research for effective health policies; and

• Exchange of information and lessons learned.

More specifically, bilateral activities between the United States and our European colleagues have included the following:

• Emerging infectious diseases (e.g., influenza, antimicrobial resistance, immunization, and vector research)

• Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (e.g., laboratory diagnostics and methods, and food safety and foodborne diseases)

• Prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases

• Injury control

• Environmental health and contamination

• Reproductive health, birth defects, and developmental disorders

• Chronic diseases (e.g., cancer, diabetes, and tobacco control)

• Genomics

• Occupational health and hazards

Clearly, we have no shortage of mutual interests!

The United States and the European Union working together as partners will advance public health for the benefit of both our populations and the rest of the world.

Together, we must stem the rising tide of chronic diseases that are the leading cause of death for Europeans and Americans alike. In both our hemispheres, we must combat the negative health effects of tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and environmental conditions that continue to pose challenges for our citizens and our health care systems.

But we must never forget the importance of infectious disease. The public health events of the past few years have forcefully reminded us that we underestimate our ancient microbial enemies at our peril. All our antibiotics and vaccines have not conquered infectious disease, and we are no more free of them than those of whom Albert Camus spoke in The Plague when he said “They fancied themselves free, and no one will ever be free so long as there are pestilences.”

With continued and increasing threats from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, pandemic influenza, and HIV/AIDS, the European CDC will have a crucial leadership role to play.

As Commissioner Byrne has noted, important elements that will help the European CDC excel in this regard include transparency and constant communication with the diverse stakeholders that make up the international public health community. At the same time, the public should be informed, involved, and included in decision-making and planning processes. We strongly support this approach.

Cooperation in public health and the health sciences has been and continues to be an integral part of the relationship between the United States and the European Union. The new European CDC and HHS/CDC collaboration is the next chapter of this dynamic and important relationship.

The United States of America, the Department of Health and Human Services, and its Centers for Disease Control are proud to be working with you toward a healthier Europe, a healthier U.S., and the strengthened global health infrastructure needed for a healthier world.

Secretary Thompson, Dr. Gerberding and I commend you for your efforts and look forward to seeing the European CDC take its place among the premier health institutions of the world.

I thank you again for the opportunity to be a part of this important occasion and historic day!

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