Italian EU presidency brings ambitious health targets

The Italian government has set itself an ambitious public health agenda as it presides over European Union business for the next six months. Heading the list are moves to establish a European centre for disease prevention and control and to increase information to the public on the importance of healthy lifestyles.

The recent SARS outbreak has convinced the EU commissioner for public health, David Byrne, of the need to establish a central point of expertise and coordination to handle any future outbreaks of infectious diseases within a union that will have 25 members in less than …