Health Governance In Europe

This book discusses the relationship between the European Union and its member states in regards to health policies. It explores the process of de-nationalizing health policies and how European policies are developed in a sector that is traditionally under national control. The authors also analyze key topics such as the pharmaceutical sector, market regulation, food safety, and bioethics. This book provides a comprehensive assessment of the Europeanization process in health policies and will be useful for students and scholars interested in health, European integration, and policy-making.

Health constitutes a core element of welfare states and a vital nerve in the trust relation between citizen and their governments. Focusing on the health sector, this book analyzes the closely interwoven relationship between the European Union and Member States. The authors explore the dynamic and multi-fold process of de-nationalizing health policies and illustrate how European policies develop in a sector that still appears to be under exclusively national competence. They describe the multiple forms and ways the Europeanization process takes, driven by market integration, public health crises and politics of consumer protection. The authors also provide a detailed analysis of key topics: the pharmaceutical sector, market regulation of medical goods and devices, food safety, the blood provision and plasma industry, European politics on bioethics, and risk reduction in the field of drug abuse. Providing a comprehensive and informed assessment of the Europeanization process in the field of health policies, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of health, European integration and policy-making.