mr president i too regret that we are joining one debate to another one it is like having a joint debate on shipping and fishing because both of them happen in the marine environment
however i would like to congratulate the rapporteur marisa matias and it is indeed of the utmost importance that the european union should address in a concrete manner the challenge of alzheimer's disease as one of its health priorities
the current medical and social burden of this disease represents a serious threat to the sustainability of our healthcare and social systems
several other chronic diseases will significantly increase in the coming years and it is crucial that we should also address them in a comprehensive way with an appropriate preparedness plan
i sincerely hope that the commission will take the lead in building on the european initiative on alzheimer's disease and will support member states in addressing the public health challenges of our ageing population
i particularly welcome the focus on a multidisciplinary approach
finally i would like to stress the need to focus on research and on targeted investment in this field with one priority in mind not to serve business interests but to deliver concrete public health outcomes for patients and citizens
with regard to the oral questions i think we are witnessing here a method of lobbying aimed at increasing pressure on the german authorities and contesting eu safety requirements and regulations
it does not matter whether the companies concerned are big or small the only question of importance for us is the safety of patients
