Call: Early diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis

The EU is required by its founding treaty to ensure that human health is protected as part of all its policies, and to work with the EU countries to improve public health, prevent human illness and eliminate sources of danger to physical and mental health.

The 3rd Health Programme has 4 overarching objectives. It seeks to:

1. Promote health, prevent diseases and foster supportive environments for healthy lifestyles taking into account the 'health in all policies' principle,
2. Protect Union citizens from serious cross-border health threats,
3. Contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems,
4. Facilitate access to better and safer healthcare for Union citizens.

The third EU health programme is the main instrument the European Commission uses to implement the EU health strategy. It is implemented by means of annual work plans which set out priority areas and the criteria for funding actions under the programme. The total budget for the programme is € 449.4 million.

The activities will support the development of national hepatitis strategies, screening and treatment guidelines, taking into account available treatment options. It will help to bridge primary, secondary care, and outreach, in the community including prison health services, to facilitate access to and uptake of testing, vaccination and treatment services particularly among key risk groups including drug users, prisoners, homeless, men who have sex with men, sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS. It will also assess the potentially considerable economic impact of available treatment, testing strategies and vaccination options on health systems, which are under the responsibility of the EU Member States, with a view to inform decisions on balancing access to medicines and vaccines with the financial sustainability of health systems. They will build on work undertaken by the European Commission, the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction with the aim of reducing morbidity and mortality related to hepatitis B and C, and reducing new transmissions and the socioeconomic impact of hepatitis in the EU/EEA.

Applicants participating in a project proposal have to be different legal entities (i.e. independent from each other) from at least 3 countries participating in the Health Programme.