HHS Secretary Addresses European Health Ministers on Health SecuritySeptember 8, 2008 – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mike Leavitt addressed 32 European Ministers of Health or their representatives at the Informal European Union Health Ministerial in Angers, Anjou, France. He spoke about the imperative for cooperation to preserve health security and the need for European nations to work with the United States to develop a market for medical countermeasures and collaborate on product safety.
The host of the gathering, French Minister of Health, Youth, Sport and Association Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, Ph.D., invited Secretary Leavitt to deliver a keynote address to the Ministerial. Earlier in the day, Secretary Leavitt spoke with business leaders at the American Chamber of Commerce in Paris, and met with scientists at the Institut Pasteur, a partner with HHS in international pandemic preparedness.
Secretary Leavitt will also visit the Sanofi Pasteur vaccine-production facility at Val-de-Reuil, Haute-Normandie, and speak at the opening of an exposition on malaria sponsored by the Global Fund and the Roll-Back Malaria Partnership. French President Nicholas Sarközy will also attend the event.
Finally, on September 10, 2008, Secretary Leavitt will deliver remarks to the European Challenges in Health conference, at L'Université de Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV).
For the text of Secretary Leavitt's speech, visit Remarks As Prepared for the European Union Health Minister Forum.
For more about the U.S. Government's efforts to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic, visit www.pandemicflu.gov.
Last revised: September 11, 2008 | 
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