Belgian EU Presidency Conference on Rheumatic and
Musculoskeletal Diseases

On 19 and 20 October 2010, experts from academia, scientific societies, patient organisations, Member States' government and social security institutions as well as EU bodies agreed upon a number of key policy recommendations for improving the management and prevention of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. This set of recommendations, and specific initiatives for their implementation, were the main outcomes of the EU Presidency Conference on Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, organised in collaboration with EULAR, the European League Against Rheumatism. The recommendations embraced six areas of intervention: rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases as a priority on health policy agendas; rights of patients to quality healthcare and to full inclusion in economic and social life; early prevention and referral; evidence-based treatment and standards of care; patient involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of healthcare services; and increased research funding. Conference recommendations culminated in the call for an EU Musculoskeletal Disease Strategy and national action plans.

EU conference recommendations

The focus areas of four workshops held during the conference were based on ideas developed on the occasion of the EULAR Alliance Against Arthritis meeting in March 2010. This preparatory work certainly helped producing the conference recommendations. 

1. The European Union and its Member States should recognise the socio-economic importance of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases of all ages and assign them appropriate priority

2. There is an urgent need to prioritise basic and clinical  research regarding the causes, predictors, management and impact of these chronic diseases

3. The European Union and Member States should ensure that people with disabilities related to rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases have the right to full inclusion in society; this encompasses optimisation of environmental and life-style factors, the availability of self-management tools, and respect for the right to a flexible education and work environment

4. People with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases should receive prompt access to high quality care, ideally in specialised centres, thus maximising long-term quality of life

5. Management of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases should be in accordance with evidence-based recommendations in every European Union Member State

6. People with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases are experts in living with their condition and should be involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of their services