EuSANH-ISA

EuSANH-ISA Project (2009-2012)

The EuSANH network established a joint working programme on Improving Science Advice for Health (EuSANH-ISA) with the general objective to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of science advice for health across Europe.

The EuSANH-ISA project is supported by the 7the Framework Programme of DG Research (European Commission) from February 2009 until February 2012.

The general objective has been translated into the following specific objectives and work packages:

  • Describe the functions and structure of existing national science advisory bodies for health in the participating European countries and carry out a thematic analysis of reports from each country (Work Package 2)
  • Establish a common ‘best practice’ methodology for science advice (Work Package 3)
  • Develop a plan for communication and cooperation in the expanding network of science advisory bodies, taking advantage of the Sinapse electronic communication system (Work Package 4)
  • Illustrate the common methodology and the functioning of the network by developing a pilot case study for a European science advisory report (Work Package 5)
  • Disseminate the results of the project during and at the end of the project (Work Package 6)

 

Advantages of the project go beyond the 3 year period

A common methodology with improved transnational cooperation promotes open governance, as more evidence-based policy making in Europe will be more transparant to the public. The recently established European Science Advisory Network for HEalth coordinates activities among science advisory bodies within the EU, and is eminently suited to provide the infrastructure for these tasks. the consortium consists of six contractual partners (BE, ES, NL, PL, RO and SE) supported by an External Advisory Committee (science advisory bodies of CZ, DE, FL, FR, PT and UK and representatives from Institute of Medicine, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, The European Observatory on HEalth Systems and Policies and the European Network for Health technology Assessment). As improvement of science advice is a long-term goal, the coordinating action will also aim at strengthening the network beyond the time frame of the project.

Click here for a summary of the EuSANH-ISA project.