7th Framework Programme

From this page, you have access to all the information you need to take part in European projects in the Health thematic priority of FP7.

If you have further questions, please contact the HEALTH NCP in your region/country!

The HEALTH theme in brief

EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS

The HEALTH theme in brief

Budget: € 6 billion over 7 years (2007 – 2013).

Objective: to improve the health of European citizens; boost the competitiveness of health-related industries and businesses, help find solutions to global health issues such as anti-microbial resistance, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, emerging pandemics...

The focus will be on biotechnology, the development of tools and technologies for human health, translating research into useful application for human health, and optimising the delivery of health care to European citizens.

More about the HEALTH program on the CORDIS website…

Participation

• WHO can participate?
• WHEN can you submit a project?
• WHAT are the budgets, funding schemes, research themes?
• HOW can you participate, how to start, how to prepare?

The “SMEs go Health” network of partners can offer you their support in building a project as a coordinator or participate in a project as a partner.

Go to "SMEs go Health" services

OPEN CALLS

Find out which research areas are financed by looking in the HEALTH Work Programme. Check the open Calls for Proposals to see if one of the topics supported fits your research objectives.

Open calls in HEALTH

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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS

The European Technology Platforms (ETP) will play an important role in the evolution of European R&D: they will help to define the research objectives of the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.

They regroup, in a defined key-sector, research and innovation actors – industries, SMEs, public and private research. They are coordinated by industrial leaders on the sector. This structure will allow the developing of a useful R&D policy that will be accepted by the industry.

The European Technology Platforms should:

Stimulate European research;
Help increase R&D investments in quality and quantity in key sectors, in order to improve the competitiveness and create jobs thanks to innovation and R&D;
Accelerate innovation in the key sectors;
Cut down barriers which slow down the transformation of new technologies into added value for the economy;
Define the sector’s long-term objectives in a "Vision Paper" and a "Strategic Research Agenda" with specific R&D objectives to be reached in this sector.

In the sectors of Health and Biotechnology, 3 ETPs have been created:

NanoMedicine - Nanotechnologies for Medical Applications
IMI - Innovative Medicines Initiative
Plants for the future

NanoMedicine - Nanotechnologies for Medical Applications

The Challenge:

The aging population, the high expectations towards quality of life and the changing lifestyle of the European society leads to the need for improved, more efficient, and affordable medical care.

Europe has a strong position in the novel area of NanoMedicine, using nanotechnology for medical applications. Industry starts to take up these promising opportunities. Nevertheless, the area of NanoMedicine is quite fragmented and will strongly benefit from a co-ordination at European level.

Objectives:

Establish a clear strategic vision in the area resulting in a Strategic Research Agenda;
Decrease fragmentation in nano-medical research;
Mobilise additional public and private investment;
Identify priority areas;
Boost innovation in nanobiotechnologies for medical use.

Key priorities confirmed by the stakeholders:

Nanotechnology-based diagnostics including imaging;
Targeted drug delivery and release;
Regenerative medicine.

Dissemination of knowledge, regulatory and IPR issues, standardisation, ethical, safety, environmental and toxicity concerns as well as public perception in general and the input from other stakeholders like insurance companies or patient organisations will play an important role.

Published documents can be found in the right column.

More information...

IMI - Innovative Medicines Initiative

Main objectives:

The overall objective of IMI is to remove bottlenecks hampering the efficiency of the development of new medicines, and where research is the key, thereby enabling the European biopharmeceutical industry to become world leaders.

At the same time, by pooling resources from all stakeholders (industry, academia, SMEs, regulatory authorities, healthcare providers, patient organisations), this initiative is expected to provide faster access to better medicines for European citizens.

Overall goals:

Accelerated development of safe and effective medicines, aiming to bring tangible benefits to patients and revitalise the European biopharmaceutical research environment;
This platform aims to enhance and accelerate the development process of medicines so as to ensure the most rapid application of scientific breakthroughs into approved new medicines.

This will be achieved by:

Stimulating integrated forms of co-operation in research and development, in particular through reinforced public-private partnerships, with a view to providing the European population with early access to new, more targeted medicines;
Strengthening the European science base;
Fostering economic growth in the pharma/biotechnology industry.

Published documents can be found in the right column.

More information...