Commission communication ‘A comprehensive approach to mental health’ and phenylketonuria patients
16.10.2023
Question for written answer E-003056/2023
to the Commission
Rule 138
Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE), Ivan Štefanec (PPE), Miriam Lexmann (PPE), Ljudmila Novak (PPE), Tudor Ciuhodaru (S&D), Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), Radka Maxová (S&D), Aurélia Beigneux (ID), Francisco Guerreiro (Verts/ALE), István Ujhelyi (S&D), Maria da Graça Carvalho (PPE), Helmut Geuking (PPE), Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska (PPE), Peter Pollák (PPE), Kateřina Konečná (The Left), Carlos Coelho (PPE), Magdalena Adamowicz (PPE), Lukas Mandl (PPE), Maria Walsh (PPE), Stelios Kympouropoulos (PPE), Josianne Cutajar (S&D), Michaela Šojdrová (PPE), Jarosław Duda (PPE), Romana Tomc (PPE), Theodoros Zagorakis (PPE), Isabella Adinolfi (PPE), Rosanna Conte (ID), Katarína Roth Neveďalová (NI), Anne Sander (PPE), Matjaž Nemec (S&D), Maria Angela Danzì (NI), Caterina Chinnici (PPE)
The recent Commission communication on ‘A comprehensive approach to mental health’ recognises the crucial importance of mental health and strives to put it on an equal footing with physical health. It contains a ‘catalogue’ of ongoing EU actions that could support an inclusive approach, addressing the full spectrum of mental health, ranging from prevention and mental health promotion to care and cure.
It also speaks of the need to pay attention to vulnerable groups, specifically singling out people living with cancer, while overlooking people living with chronic and life-threatening diseases - including rare diseases, such as phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is a rare inherited metabolic disorder that affects about one in every 10 000 children born in Europe. If left untreated, PKU can cause severe intellectual disability as well as neurological, mental health and behavioural problems.
- 1.Does the Commission agree that everyone living with a chronic or life-threatening disease – including rare diseases, such as PKU – should be considered vulnerable?
- 2.How does the Commission intend to guarantee that people living with a chronic or life-threatening disease are adequately considered in this comprehensive approach?
Submitted: 16.10.2023