The investigation into issues affecting the sustainability of healthcare financing was launched at a Conference in 2005 at the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg Luxembourg October 2005. Speakers at that Conference included representatives from the OECD, the WHO, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the London School of Economics.

With the endorsement of Luxembourg’s Ministry of Health and Finland’s Innovation Fund SITRA, four reports were written and delivered as one policy document - the Cox Report - at the Helsinki Conference in February 2007 Helsinki February 2007.

The reports examined the following issues:

1. Protecting equity while improving efficiency: Some possibilities for expanding the role of competition and choice in health care delivery;
2. Ensuring value for money in health care: The role of HTA in the European Union;
3. Patient empowerment and efficient health outcomes; and
4. Issues affecting the sustainability of health financing in several countries of SE Europe.

Following the Helsinki conference, The Cox Report was presented to the European Commission in Strasbourg on 13th February.

The Steering Group is grateful to The Ministry of Health of Luxembourg for their continuing endorsement of the full investigation into sustainable healthcare financing in Europe and the continuing support of the project’s founding partner and sponsor since 2005, Pfizer, Inc.