Several Public Health France missions will probably be transferred to the Ministry of Health | EUROtoday

The authorities has determined to “strategic refocusing” of Public Health France (SPF), a number of missions of which, akin to finishing up communication campaigns, will probably be transferred to the Ministry of Health, declared Friday January 30 the workplace of the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, confirming info from France Inter.

“A strategic refocusing has been decided, with two main developments” : “The management of strategic stocks and the health reserve will henceforth be under the direct hierarchical authority of the Minister of Health”whereas the “national public health communication campaigns” will probably be “transferred to the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Fund”we specified from the identical supply.

According to public radio, this reform was determined throughout an interministerial assembly, validated by the Prime Minister and introduced to workers on Thursday by the overall director of SPF, Caroline Semaille.

On the administration of shares and the well being reserve, the target is to “shorten the chain of command, unify existing systems and strengthen decision-making capacity, particularly in times of crisis”the ministry informed Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing “regular functions of preparation and response to health crises”.

The switch of communication campaigns goals to “offer citizens clearer messages”as a result of a “multiplication of campaign leaders” has “may have blurred the readability of public discourse on health”added the cupboard of M^me Rist, guaranteeing purpose “better efficiency” and never “savings”.

“A major risk of censorship”

SPF was created in 2014 to offer France, just like the United States or England, with an institution bringing collectively missions of prevention and well being promotion, alerts and surveillance and intervention. It was born from the merger of the Health Surveillance Institute (InVS), the National Institute of Prevention and Health Education (Inpes), the Establishment for Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies (Eprus) and Addictions Drugs Alcohol Info Service (Adalis).

The announcement of the restructuring raised issues a couple of political takeover. Evoking “a major risk of censorship” on campaigns which can be nonetheless important (tobacco, alcohol, medicine, air pollution, sexual well being), Hendrik Dravi, environmentalist deputy and administrator of SPF, mentioned he feared that “this political interference in prevention campaigns will weaken scientific independence”.

Emmanuelle Béguinot, director of the National Committee in opposition to Smoking, additionally factors out “a risk” For “the prevention of smoking, that of alcohol”which should depend on “rigorous and independent scientific data” And “communication totally independent of lobbies”.