One of the key recommendations coming from the European Month of the Brain initiated by DG Research and held in May 2013 was: “There is a need for countries to develop, or refine, national strategies on brain research and healthcare within an overarching European context. Successful examples of national strategies in other research areas, such as cancer, already exist in Europe.”
One example of a country that is now developing national strategy is Poland where “Brain Plan for Poland – a national strategy to address brain disorders” has been launched on 25 February 2015.
The launch took place at the Polish Ombudsman office and Ms. Anna Komorowska – Polish First Lady has kindly agreed to become the launch Patroness.
Under the umbrella of Polish Brain Council and Foundation “Neuropozytywni” the meeting gathered prominent representatives from a world of science, doctors, politics, patients as well as WHO, Human Brain Project and EBC representatives who spoke about social challenges and cost and burden of brain disorders in Poland.
Participants agreed that a comprehensive strategy concerning preventing as well as treating brain disorders is absolutely needed in Poland in order to be able to properly address the social and economic burden that is generated by brain diseases.
As a next step, ten experts groups will be formed in order to map problems related to most common brain disorders in Poland, including epidemiological data, social inclusion, stigma, educating society and brain research. The groups will aim at presenting concrete recommendations for relevant stakeholders at the beginning of 2016.