European Health Forum Gastein
2008 sets new record

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• New record number of participants with 620 experts from 45 countries
• Participation of leading European and international health policymakers
• EHFG 2009 to take place from 30 September to 3 October

The European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG) set a new record in its 11th year of existence as well. One year after the anniversary event in 2007 record attendance was achieved again in 2008 with 620 participants. The increase in the average length of stay was also satisfying. This time the participants came from 45 countries.

Thus, the EHFG demonstrated again its position as a leading health policy event in the European Union, a result of its balanced mix of high-profile decision-makers and experts from the areas of health policy, health administration, medicine, science, industry and NGOs. “The EHFG fundamentally differs from the large number of congresses at which the same people meet again and again,” EHFG President Günther Leiner points out. “At the European Health Forum every interest group involved in the healthcare industry encounter one another. This inspires new ideas and new approaches to solutions for existing problems.” The EHFG is above all the most important source of ideas for European health policy, Leiner says: “Since the EHFG was established in 1997, the issues dominating European health policy in subsequent years have regularly been on the agenda.”

What was also remarkable was the enormous interest of prominent health policymakers. Among the guests this year were EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, Austrian Minister of Health Andrea Kdolsky as well as ministers and state secretaries from Germany, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Liechtenstein and Serbia.

Awarded for the first time in 2007, the “European Health Forum Award” for cross-border health initiatives in Europe has also become well-established. 25 projects were submitted, and all 27 EU countries were involved in at least one of these projects.

The date for next year’s European Health Forum Gastein has already been scheduled: the 12th EHFG will take place in the Gastein Valley again from 30 September to 3 October 2009.

Further information and press service:
EHFG Press Office, c/o MB Dialog, Thomas Brey
Tel.: +43 1 917 51 18-25; mobile: +43 / 676 / 542 39 09
E-Mail: ehfg(at)mbdialog.at
www.ehfg.org