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FEAM Newsletter

Spring 2025

Presidential address

A New Chapter for FEAM: The Strategic Plan and our Collective Future

At our recent two-day in-person meeting in London, FEAM members gathered to approve a new strategic plan that will guide our work in the coming years. This plan represents a significant step forward, offering a clear framework to address evolving health challenges while advancing our mission to shape science and policy in Europe and beyond.

The development of this plan was highly collaborative, and I am deeply appreciative of the
contributions made by all those who participated, whether in person or online. I also
acknowledge the Board for their indispensable guidance throughout this process, and the UK
Academy of Medical Sciences for hosting us and providing an insightful afternoon presentation
that fostered valuable discussions on the future of science and policy.
This strategy underscores FEAM’s commitment to enhancing our position as a leading voice in
health policy and research, with a focus on policy influence, research excellence, and
evidence-based policy. The importance of research and collaboration across borders cannot
be overstated, as these efforts will be crucial in shaping policies that have a profound impact on
healthcare outcomes worldwide.

Spotlight on London: Strategic Retreat, Council & Board Meetings

On 24–25 March, FEAM held its Board and Council meetings in London, kindly hosted by the UK Academy of Medical Sciences. These productive discussions shaped FEAM’s future direction and culminated in the approval of our new multi-year Strategic Plan.

A key milestone during the meeting was the launch of FEAM’s new Steering Committees, which will play a vital role in advancing our policy work across priority areas.

In the afternoon, participants joined a thought-provoking session led by the UK Academy, which offered insightful reflections on the evolving relationship between science and policy in Europe, and reviewed the state of UK–EU collaboration in health research, particularly within the Horizon Europe framework. The discussion highlighted the importance of ensuring that early and mid-career researchers are actively engaged to fully realise the programme’s potential.

We extend our sincere thanks to our members for their active participation, and to the UK Academy of Medical Sciences for their warm hospitality and inspiring contributions.

FEAM Statement on Recent U.S. Policy Decisions

FEAM has issued a statement expressing deep concern over the potential long-term impact of recent U.S. Executive orders affecting global health policy, including the withdrawal from WHO and cuts to scientific funding.

FEAM reaffirms its commitment to international collaboration, evidence-based policymaking, and the support of young talent in the medical sciences.

Read the full Statement here »

FEAM Activities

FEAM at the European Hospital Convention

On 3 April 2025, Professor George Griffin represented FEAM at a high-level EU meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Brussels.. The event was part of a new series of investigative meetings initiated under the responsibility of DG SANTE.

FEAM will continue to contribute to these essential discussions, ensuring the voice of science and academia is part of shaping European responses to this complex global issue.

FEAM Representation on the Mission Board on Vaccination for Europe (MBVE)

We are proud to share that Professor Griffin represented FEAM on the Mission Board on Vaccination for Europe (MBVE) as an MBVE Ambassador.

At the last MBVE meeting, the Consensus Report on the importance of vaccination—both in protecting against infection and cervical cancer—was presented and is now available on the MBVE website.

The report highlights the critical message that vaccination is not just for children, but part of a lifelong health strategy, with many vaccines now available to protect the elderly.

Professor Griffin was also thanked for his recent visit to the British Embassy in Warsaw, where he advised senior representatives of the Polish healthcare system on recent advances in vaccines and the importance of promoting lifelong vaccination programmes.

Introducing the FEAM One Health Knowledge Hub

We are proud to introduce the FEAM One Health Knowledge Hub which aims to serve as a European Centre for Literature and Clinical Information Research in Veterinary and Human Medicine.

The pilot Hub will be based in France, supported by the French Veterinary Academy (AVF), the National Academy of Medicine (ANM), and the National Academy of Pharmacy (ANP). The Hub will focus on risk assessment, clinical trial data, and policy development while fostering collaboration with ministries, academia, and international bodies like WHO and FAO.

This initiative strengthens FEAM’s One Health mission by fostering scientific excellence and providing policy-relevant outputs across Europe.

SAPEA Highlights: New Coordination, Advanced Materials & One Health Debate

The SAPEA project held Board and staff meetings in Brussels at the beginning of March. Coordination of the project has moved to LMU in Munich and the consortium has welcomed EASAC. The SAPEA project is part of the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM), which will hold its biannual conference, ‘Building bridges: shaping Europe’s science-for-policy landscape’ in Vienna on the 26-27 May. Registration for the conference is now closed but you can join the waiting list and plenary sessions will be livestreamed.

SAPEA is working on a new topic. Advanced materials are intentionally designed and engineered materials with innovative properties and functionalities. The Scientific Advice Mechanism has been asked to advise on how these materials can add impetus to EU strategic autonomy and how to promote innovation. More information and the scope of the advice can be found on the SAM website.

On 28 March a round table debate on One Health governance in the European Union was live-streamed by the European Commission. Professor Jakob Zinsstag (co-chair of the SAPEA working group on One Health) and Professor Nicole Grobert (Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors) spoke about the Scientific Advice on One Health governance in the EU with Sandra Gallina, the Director-General DG SANTE and Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General DG CLIMA. The debate was chaired by Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General DG RTD. A recording of the event is available to watch online.

News from the academies

Israel’s Young Academy Holds Inaugural Medical Sciences Conference

The Young Academy of the Israeli National Academy of Medical Sciences hosted its first conference on 27 March, attracting over 200 participants.
Young physicians and researchers from across Israel presented groundbreaking work across diverse medical fields, with a strong emphasis on the integration of early-career doctors into research. The enthusiastic turnout and high level of engagement reflect a promising future for medical science in Israel.

Congratulations to our Israeli colleagues for this outstanding initiative!

Updates from Leopoldina – German National Academy of Sciences

Leopoldina has recently released several new initiatives and events:

● 📘 New Publication: Economic Incentives for the Development of New Antimicrobial Agents
Read more →

● 🧠 Upcoming Event: Lecture and Symposium on Cerebral Organoids
Event details →

● 🎥 Watch Now: Discussion on Expanding the Scope of CAR T Cell Therapy
YouTube video →

Serbian Medical Society Celebrates One Health Day 2024

On 1 November 2024, the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Serbian Medical Society, in partnership with the One Health Association of Serbia, hosted its 7th International Symposium for One Health Day in Novi Sad. This hybrid event gathered experts from Belgium, Croatia, North Macedonia, Slovenia, and Serbia, showcasing interdisciplinary collaboration and forward-looking discussions on global One Health challenges.
The symposium highlighted topics in public health, veterinary science, environmental health, and policy, with contributions from leading institutions across Europe.

📄 View the full Abstract Book here: Booklet – One Health Day 2024 →

Royal Academy of Veterinary Sciences of Spain (RACVE): April Highlights

RACVE hosted two Solemn Public Sessions in April to welcome new corresponding academics:
● 🗓️ 7 April 2025: Dr José Manuel Cifuentes Martínez delivered his admission lecture titled “Bioethics and Animal Experimentation: A Historical Perspective”. The session was introduced by Dr Francisco Gil Cano.
Event invitation →

● 🗓️ 28 April 2025: Dr Sonia S. Pérez Garnelo gave her entry speech on “The Importance of Seminal Evaluation in the Assessment of Bull Reproductive Fitness”. Dr Raúl Sánchez Sánchez introduced the lecture.
Event invitation →

Both events were held in hybrid format and contributed to the Academy’s ongoing engagement with veterinary and reproductive sciences.

Royal Academies of Medicine of Spain Gather for Historic Commemorative Event

On 18 March 2025, the Royal National Academy of Medicine of Spain (RANME) hosted a landmark meeting at its headquarters in Madrid, bringing together all sixteen Royal Academies of Medicine and Surgery from across Spain. The event marked the 10th anniversary of the proclamation of His Majesty King Felipe VI and celebrated the collective contributions of the academies to medicine and Spanish society over the past decade.

Each academy presented their main activities and achievements, reaffirming their commitment to future collaboration. The day concluded with the launch of the commemorative book "Contribution of the Royal Academies of Medicine of Spain" and the inauguration of the exhibition "The Panhispanic Medical Language. A Language. A Medicine. A Dictionary."

President Eduardo Díaz-Rubio closed the event with a powerful call for the academies to engage more visibly with the wider public and continue championing science and health in society.

📖 Discover more about the commemorative book here →

📖 Read more here →

Upcoming events and opportunities

Save the Date: One Health Webinar
🗓️ 30 April 2025
🕙 10:00–11:00 CEST (Online)
🌍 One Health in Action: Advancing Cross-Sector Collaboration

FEAM invites you to join a dynamic and timely online session exploring how cross-sector collaboration can enhance the One Health agenda in Europe. This event will bring together perspectives from academia, patient organisations, veterinary and medical sectors, and EU policy initiatives.
More on the event → REGISTER →

FEAM President on Karger Panel : After the Vote: The Real Impact of Political Change on Science, Research, and Academia

President Ferry Breedveld will join the panel at Karger’s Tech-Check: After the Vote – The Real Impact of Political Change on Science, Research, and Academia.

🗓️ 21 May 2025
🕒 15:00–16:30 CEST
Don’t miss this timely discussion on science policy post-election.

FEAM Has a New Home

We are pleased to inform you that FEAM has recently relocated to anew office in Brussels.

📍 New Address: Rue Ducale 1, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

We extend our sincere thanks to the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium for hosting our new offices and look forward to welcoming you to Rue Ducale!

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