ECDC Executive Director Dr Andrea Ammon visits EMCDDA

Today, EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel welcomes to the agency Dr Andrea Ammon, Executive Director of the Stockholm-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The EMCDDA and ECDC have recently signed an updated working arrangement (December 2018) in the context of new legislation which strengthens Europe’s response to public health and social threats caused by new psychoactive substances (NPS).

Having previously worked together in areas relating to data collection, knowledge exchange and sharing of best practice in the monitoring of infections associated with injecting drug use, the two agencies will now also be sharing information and data relating to NPS, their use and potential public health and social risks.

The meeting today will address strategies, achievements and challenges and joint cooperation. Discussions will focus on: HCV elimination; joint country missions; EU Early Warning System on NPS; cooperation with non-EU countries; and upcoming events (e.g. Lisbon Addictions 2019 and ESCAIDE).

The meeting will also be attended by Dr Maarit Kokki, ECDC Head of sector for international relations and by EMCDDA staff members working in the areas of public health, risks to public safety and security, policy coordination and international cooperation.