PharmacovigilanceOfficial

EU Health Security Committee adopts opinions on mosquito-borne diseases and healthcare infrastructure resilience

🇪🇺 European Commission (DG SANTE) · Wed 28 Oct 2026

At its senior-level meeting in Brussels on 27 and 28 October, the committee also followed up on its recent opinion on extreme heat and heatwaves.

The Health Security Committee (HSC) held a senior-level meeting in Brussels on 27 and 28 October to discuss coordination, preparedness and response to serious cross-border health threats. Participants came from EU and EEA countries, the European Commission and specialised agencies, including the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the European Medicines Agency and the European Environment Agency.

Discussions covered the health impact of climate change, with a focus on heatwaves and extreme heat, the rising incidence of mosquito-borne diseases, civil-military cooperation and vaccination as a preventative measure. The committee adopted new opinions on mosquito-borne diseases and on the preparedness and resilience of critical healthcare infrastructure. It also followed up on its recent opinion on extreme heat and heatwaves. The Commission's notice does not set out the content of these opinions.

Members also reflected on lessons from the recent Andes Hantavirus outbreak and from simulation exercises that tested mechanisms for managing future health crises. Sandra Gallina, Director-General of DG Health and Food Safety, stressed the need for coordinated governance and response mechanisms across human health, veterinary and environmental sectors under a One Health approach. She also said civil-military collaboration is key to further preparedness.

The meeting coincided with the presentation of a new EU Framework for Climate Resilience, which aims to strengthen Europe's ability to anticipate, prepare for and manage climate risks. The HSC is chaired by the Commission, includes members from all EU and EEA countries, and was strengthened under Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on serious cross-border threats to health. It can adopt opinions and guidance on specific prevention, preparedness and response measures.

What it means for your team

  • The notice reports adopted HSC opinions but not their text, so teams should check the committee's published opinions before assessing any relevance to their work.
  • Vaccination was named as a preventative measure in the discussions, and the EMA took part, but the notice announces no new regulatory requirements.
  • Mosquito-borne diseases and climate-related health risks remain EU health security priorities, which may be relevant for preparedness planning and supply continuity.
  • No direct pharmacovigilance or compliance obligations arise from this notice at this stage.

Official source: European Commission (DG SANTE) ↗

Article written by VigiEye from the official source (European Commission (DG SANTE)). AI-assisted; check the source before acting.

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