RDPortal2 aims to provide the community at large, via a user-friendly portal in 5 languages, with comprehensive information in order to contribute to the improvement of the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients with rare diseases (RD), and to map healthcare services in the EU and build indicators An inventory of RD and an encyclopedia of RD aims to help involve the international community in producing knowledge on RD. RDPortal2 aims to improve knowledge of the characteristics and epidemiology of RD by collecting and disseminating this information. A tool to retrieve possible diagnoses through a search by clinical signs and symptoms will assist diagnosis. A directory of professional services throughout Europe is provided with the aim of contributing to the appropriate use of expert clinical services and promote quality assurance in laboratories offering medical genetic testing. A directory of patient organisations will help fight isolation and empower patients. Comprehensible information on the stage of development of orphan drugs and their availability in MS will be provided.
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Health problems of prisoners are widespread exacerbated by rising prison populations. Young prisoners have needs distinct from other prisoners, are more disadvantaged than their counterparts in the community and show negative impacts on their health. There is a clear need for prisons to respond with health promotion interventions to address health inequalities endorsing the principle that time spent in custody should aid disease prevention and promote health.

The project Health Promotion for Young Prisoners (HPYP) aims at developing and improving health promotion for young vulnerable people in the prison setting. It specifically aims at the subsequent implementation of a health promotion toolkit for young prisoners widely across European Member States. The toolkit addresses health related factors regarding infectious diseases, sexual health, mental health as well as the prevention and treatment of drug use.


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The ‘Crossing Bridges’ project aims to build on work undertaken in the EC co-funded `Closing the Gap` (2004-2007) and `DETERMINE` (2007-2010) projects, and will complement the `Joint Action on Health Inequalities` (2011-2014), to advance the implementation of HiAP approaches in EU Member States. It will do this by:
(1) Investigating specific mechanisms and successful examples of inter-sectoral collaboration to determine what methodologies can be drawn from these and developed. Three focus areas have been identified for more in depth analysis, in order to distil learning and develop further methodologies. The Delphi method will be used to validate the methodologies.
(2) Developing the capacities of national and regional Institutes for Public Health to implement HiAP. An assessment to analyse existing practice and needs will be undertaken, and an interactive training workshop developed for partners and national trainers on the basis of the outcomes of the assessments and incorporating the methodologies developed.
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