A coalition of 11 EU health ministers is calling for the European Union to integrate funding for critical medicines into its broader defence strategy. The proposal, outlined in an op-ed published on Euronews, urges the inclusion of the upcoming Critical Medicines Act within the EU’s new defence spending framework, citing medicine security as a crucial element of European stability.

The ministers—from Belgium, Czechia, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain—argue that without a secure supply of essential medicines, Europe’s defence capabilities could be at risk.

A Call for Strategic Investment in Medicine Security

The proposed Critical Medicines Act, set to be unveiled this week by the European Commission, aims to address severe shortages of essential medicines such as antibiotics, insulin, and painkillers. The initiative would focus on medicines that are difficult to source, often relying on a limited number of manufacturers or imports from non-EU countries.

The health ministers advocate for the act to be financed under the EU’s defence budget, allowing it to access part of the €800 billion expected to be mobilized under the Rearm Europe plan. This defence funding package, discussed at last week’s extraordinary EU summit, is designed to ramp up military and security spending across the bloc.

The proposal suggests embedding medicine production investments within a new €150 billion EU defence instrument, which would enable the Commission to borrow from capital markets, issue bonds, and lend to member states.

Parallels with U.S. Defence Strategy

In their op-ed, the ministers drew comparisons to the United States’ Defence Production Act (DPA), which classifies pharmaceutical supply chains as a national security concern. The DPA allows the U.S. government to map supply chains, identify vulnerabilities, and prioritize investments in domestic pharmaceutical production.

The European ministers warn that Europe’s heavy reliance on pharmaceutical imports from Asia—where up to 80% of key medicine ingredients are sourced—poses a serious risk in times of crisis or geopolitical tensions.

“If the supply chain of antibiotics is interrupted in the midst of an escalating conflict, routine surgeries become high-risk procedures, and easily treatable infections could turn fatal,” the ministers wrote. “Foreign actors could exploit this dependency, creating a major security risk for Europe.”

Budget Implications and Political Uncertainty

The push for integrating medicine funding into defence spending comes amid uncertainty over future EU health budgets. The EU4Health programme, launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, received €5.3 billion in funding, but recent cuts—including the reallocation of €1 billion to aid Ukraine—have raised concerns over its sustainability.

The European Commission’s next seven-year budget is expected to be tight, and there are indications that dedicated health funding could be merged with other sectors or even eliminated. The proposed defence-linked mechanism, however, could allow increased national health spending by temporarily exempting defence-related expenditures—including medicine security—from EU fiscal limits for four years.

Will the Proposal Gain Political Backing?

It remains uncertain whether the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will incorporate the ministers’ proposal into legislative talks on the Critical Medicines Act. While some policymakers may welcome a stronger pharmaceutical supply chain as part of Europe’s strategic autonomy, others may be reluctant to blur the lines between health policy and defence spending.

With the legislative proposal expected on Tuesday, the debate over how Europe secures its essential medicines is set to intensify in the coming weeks.

A new global analysis has shed light on the persistent and preventable crisis of maternal mortality, revealing that a pregnant woman or new mother dies every two minutes worldwide. The findings, published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in The Lancet Global Health journal, offer crucial insights into why these deaths occur and how they can be prevented.

According to the WHO, an estimated 287,000 maternal deaths occurred in 2020. These deaths, which happen anytime from pregnancy through six weeks after childbirth, are directly related to pregnancy complications. The vast majority take place in low-income countries, with women in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia facing the highest risks.

Top Causes of Maternal Deaths

The report, the WHO’s first global update in more than a decade, identifies severe bleeding (haemorrhage), preeclampsia, and high blood pressure complications as the most common causes of maternal deaths. If untreated, these conditions can quickly lead to organ failure, stroke, or death.

Other leading causes include sepsis, blood clots, infections, chronic health conditions worsened by pregnancy, and unsafe abortion complications.

Additionally, while maternal mental health remains underreported in many countries, researchers warn that suicide is a major concern for women in their first year after childbirth.

A Reflection of Broader Health Disparities

Experts emphasize that maternal deaths are a warning sign of deeper health, social, and political challenges.

“If women have access to quality care and their social needs are met, they generally don’t die,” said Joyce Browne, a global health expert at University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands.

For instance, the higher risk of haemorrhage in low-income countries reflects persistent inequities in emergency medical care, where a lack of trained staff and resources means some women bleed to death within hours of giving birth.

Meanwhile, in Latin America and the Caribbean, more women die from high blood pressure-related complications, which often develop within the first week after delivery.

Beyond mortality, many women experience severe childbirth complications, known as “near-misses.” A separate study found that one in 20 women in sub-Saharan Africa and one in six in Guatemala suffer life-threatening complications during childbirth.

Solutions to Improve Maternal Health

Dr. Jenny Cresswell, the study’s lead author, stressed that many maternal deaths are preventable with better coordination between obstetrics, emergency care, primary healthcare, and mental health services.

“These interventions are not rocket science,” Cresswell told Euronews Health.

Strengthening healthcare systems in lower-income countries could yield significant improvements, she said. Even incremental progress—such as monitoring a baby’s heartbeat every hour instead of every few minutes in resource-limited areas—can save lives.

However, the study only includes data through 2020, meaning it does not account for how the COVID-19 pandemic further strained healthcare systems. Experts fear that progress has stalled, especially as global health funding cuts, including in maternal and child health programs, add more uncertainty.

Signs of Progress and the Road Ahead

Despite these challenges, there have been notable successes. Since 2000, 69 countries have halved their maternal mortality rates, and sub-Saharan Africa has reduced its rate by 33%.

The key to saving more lives, experts say, is investing in proven solutions and ensuring that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has access to quality maternal care.

“We have good data on why women are dying,” Cresswell said. “The important thing is to invest in solutions to prevent it from happening again.”

Men with higher-quality sperm may live longer lives, according to a new study that suggests semen health could serve as a key indicator of overall well-being.

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, analyzed data from nearly 80,000 Danish men over a follow-up period of up to 50 years. The participants had undergone semen quality assessments in laboratories as part of fertility evaluations.

Researchers examined several factors, including semen volume, sperm concentration, and the percentage of motile sperm—those that move efficiently and have a normal shape. Their findings revealed that men with higher numbers of motile sperm had life expectancies two to three years longer than those with lower counts.

“In absolute terms, men with a total motile sperm count of more than 120 million lived 2.7 years longer than men with a total motile count between zero and five million,” said Dr. Lærke Priskorn, senior researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital and the study’s lead author.

She emphasized that the lower the semen quality, the lower the life expectancy—a pattern that was not explained by pre-existing health conditions or education levels.

Semen Quality as a Health Indicator

Experts believe that semen quality could act as a biomarker for overall health in men. Previous research cited in the study found that men with lower sperm concentration were hospitalized an average of seven years earlier, indicating that impaired fertility may be linked to shorter and less healthy lives.

“The current findings add to the growing body of research showing that semen quality is an important marker of current health and predictive of future health across a man’s lifespan,” said Dr. Germaine Buck Louis, dean of the College of Health at George Mason University in the U.S.

She noted that some scientists have even suggested semen quality be considered the sixth vital sign, alongside temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.

Possible Causes and Future Research

While the study does not pinpoint the exact reasons behind the connection between sperm health and longevity, experts suggest environmental exposures and oxidative stress may play a role, as they impact both reproductive and overall health.

“Without knowing the exact causes of infertility and the specific cell functions affected, it is difficult to develop medical interventions or new drugs to address the problem,” said Dr. Dolores Lamb, co-director of the research learning center at Children’s Mercy Kansas City.

She added that research is ongoing to better understand the link between infertility and increased health risks in men.

As scientists continue to explore the long-term implications of semen quality, the study underscores the importance of reproductive health as a window into overall well-being, potentially shaping future healthcare practices and preventive strategies.