On 30 June, the EU Structural Heart Disease (SHD) Coalition, represented by its Steering Committee members, Prof. Paolo Magni, Prof. Thomas Modine and Prof. Dr. Ralph Stephan von Bardeleben, took part in a joint DG SANTE/DG RTD meeting in Brussels, joining leading stakeholders including the European Society of Cardiology and Medtech Europe.
The Coalition highlighted the urgency of prioritising early detection of SHD within the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Plan and advocated for the integration of simple, scalable diagnostic tools—such as auscultation and ECGs—into routine primary care. The meeting provided key insights into the evolving structure of the EU CVH Plan, which will focus on prevention, early detection, and treatment management, despite limited financial resources. A public call for evidence is expected this summer, ahead of a stakeholder webinar on World Heart Day, 29 September. The Coalition looks ahead to actively contributing to these initiatives and ensuring the prioritisation of tackling SHDs in the upcoming EU CVH Plan.