Brussels, 17 July 2025
On 16 July, the EU Structural Heart Disease (SHD) Coalition met with European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, and Cabinet Members Csaba Kontor and Jana Dabbelt for a high-level exchange on the priorities and direction of the forthcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH Plan). This meeting marked an important milestone in ensuring that Structural Heart Disease—an often underdiagnosed and growing burden across ageing populations—receives proper attention within EU health policy.
The Coalition was represented by Dr. Jorge Solis, Coordinator of the Cardiac Imaging and Valvular Unit at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid, and Ms. Eleonora Selvi, President of Fondazione Longevitas in Italy. Both were accompanied by members of the Coalition Secretariat. Their intervention highlighted the urgency of addressing SHD through early detection, equitable care, and system-level investment.
During the exchange, the Coalition advocated for the following priorities:
- Full recognition of Structural Heart Disease as a standalone priority within the EU CVH Plan.
- The development of a Cardiovascular Health Check Protocol that goes beyond traditional screening methods, incorporating stethoscope and ECG-based diagnostics to improve early detection of SHD.
- A strong focus on equity and gender-sensitive approaches, particularly addressing the underdiagnosis of SHD in women and underserved populations.
- A dedicated and ambitious budget for SHD, calling for alignment with the scale of the cardiovascular burden—currently the leading cause of death in the EU—on par with the €4 billion Beating Cancer Plan.
- Promotion of digital, AI-powered innovation to improve early detection, referral, and access to care across Member States.
Commissioner Várhelyi acknowledged the concerns raised and shared important insights about the plan’s financial and strategic framework. Despite the current financial constraints, he highlighted the unexpected strength of the €22.6 billion EU health envelope within the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), and confirmed that a broader EU healthcare package is expected by the end of the year. This new funding package is set to provide sufficient resources for the CVH Plan and the forthcoming Biotech Act.
The Commissioner also underscored the Commission’s commitment to making the Plan an ongoing priority—not a one-off initiative. Additional key commitments from the meeting include the explicit inclusion of Structural Heart Disease in the CVH Plan, the development of a Cardiovascular Health Check Protocol (with heart checks considered in its design), and the implementation of Cardiovascular Centres of Excellence, based on the model established by the EU Beating Cancer Plan. Commissioner Várhelyi also stressed that the Plan will include strong emphasis on speeding access to personalised and innovative therapies, including digital stethoscopes and new gene therapies.
This meeting demonstrates the momentum behind the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan. The Coalition stands ready to support the European Commission in both the development and implementation of this critical initiative—to ensure that Structural Heart Disease is no longer overlooked, and that all Europeans benefit from timely and equitable cardiovascular care.
To this end, the EU SHD Coalition will continue to work closely with EU institutions and national stakeholders in the coming months, ensuring SHD remains a central part of Europe’s health policy and investment agenda.