HEALTH : * - FOCUS ON BATTLE AGAINST CANCER.

Slovenia will make tackling cancer a high priority over the next six months. Last year, Germany drew its partners' attention to the battle against AIDS, and more specifically to the need to reduce the cost of antiretroviral medicine. Portugal followed with the health of migrants. The new Presidency will host a large cancer conference on 7-8 February in Brdo.

The Health Council on 29 February in Brussels should then draw conclusions from the conference. In addition to fighting alcohol abuse and obesity, Ljubljana will take a special interest in resistance to antibiotics, and in pharmaceutical pricing and refunding in the EU. However, pharmaceutical issues will be more fully discussed by health ministers at their informal Council on 7-8 April in Brdo.

Following this, a meeting will take place between representatives of key players in the field. They do not plan to wrap up the...