The United States and the European Union have launched a joint health taskforce to expand research and collaboration efforts in three key areas: cancer, global health threats and global health architecture.
The task force's formation was prompted by statements made in 2022 at the second Global COVID-19 Summit by President Joe Biden and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, which led to the signing of a transatlantic arrangement between both parties.
"Since the signature of our Administrative Agreement one year ago, we have taken the cooperation between our administrations to a new level," Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety stated in the May 17 joint press release. "With today’s launch of the first EU-U.S Health Task Force, we are reaffirming our mutual commitment to an ever-closer transatlantic partnership in the area of health, and delivering on an important priority of the EU Global Health Strategy."
Key areas of initial focus for the task force will include promoting collaboration between the U.S. Cancer Moonshot program and Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, as well as promoting sexual and reproductive health for women and girls and strengthening response capabilities to emerging pathogens, among others.
"We are committed to making sure that all people can access the health care they need, and we know that our health at home is connected to the health of people everywhere," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.