Introduced by the European Commission on 3 May 2022, the European Health Data Space is a proposal for a regulation that aims to reform how patients’ health data is shared across the EU both for primary care and secondary purposes, such as research and policymaking.

On 21 November 2022, the European Commission adopted and published the priorities and actions, including the allocation of resources, for the implementation in 2023 of the EU4Health programme as established under Regulation (EU) 2021/522 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Joining the handful of countries that have a national plan on cardiovascular (CV) health, Poland adopted its innovative “National Program for Cardiovascular Diseases - National Cardiac Strategy for 2022-2032”

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Pascal Arimont from Belgium and Brando Benifei from Italy have recently organised a public hearing on Structural Heart Disease (SHD). The key outcome of this hearing was increased awareness of SHD amongst policymakers and members of the European Commission. MEP Arimont highlighted that the European Parliament has a role to channel current EU budgets…

After only 9 months of existence, the Coalition positively looks back at 2021 and looks forward to contributing towards the creation of EU Joint Action for Structural Heart Disease at EU level and from Member States, now more relevant than ever.

French president Emmanuel Macron presented the priorities of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU Starting in January 2022, this Presidency offers various opportunities to reinforce a European approach for an active and healthy Europe.

Improving the early detection of cardiovascular and structural heart disease in Germany : 5 proposals from German experts roundtable

The report of the EU4Health stakeholder’ consultation has been published and outlines the conclusions of both the consultation and the webinar that followed. The report includes the importance of tackling CVDs, including SHDs, for the first time.

On this special day, Brando Benifei MEP shared a letter to the European Commissioner for Health and food safety Stella Kyriakides calling for a joint action on SHD in the framework of the EU4Health programme.

On 15 September, an event organised in the National Assembly by MP Annie Vidal and MP Paul Christophe gathered key stakeholders, including the French delegated Minister for Autonomy Brigitte Bourguignon, to discuss the inclusion of active and healthy ageing in the forthcoming French EU Presidency.

The EU SHD Coalition was invited to present its proposals for an EU Joint Action at a recent EU Commission’ webinar on EU4Health

The SHD Coalition gathered on September 7th for its first plenary meeting. It was the occasion for members to meet (virtually) and to present the activities achieved in the framework of the Coalition’s objectives.

On 13 July 2021, the Italian Heart Foundation gathered SHD and cardiology experts, MEPs, Government representatives and Institutions for a synergic step towards Italy supporting the SHD Joint Action goal. A study carried out by CEIS - Center for Economics and International Studies (Tor Vergata University, Rome) points out SHD impact on the Italian social welfare system: data leaves no time but for…

Read the interview of Steering Committee member, Prof. Paolo Magni, who spoke about the development of the International Longevity Centre’s report (ILC) titled “The invisible epidemic: Rethinking the detection and treatment of SHD in Europe” and discussed the many problems patients have in accessing medical treatment.

At a virtual event organized by think tank Friends of Europe, political supporter of the SHD Coalition, Brando Benifei MEP, called for urgent action on structural heart diseases and reiterated the need for the EU-wide introduction of heart health checks for people above 65 years…

In its response to the European Commission’s Green Paper on ageing, the SHD Coalition highlights the urgent need to tackle age discrimination when treating SHDs. The Coalition is calling for an EU Joint Action …

On 1 March 2021, a virtual event co-hosted by MEP Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy) & MEP Maria Da Graça Carvalho (EPP, Portugal) took place...

A date for your diary! Virtual event co-hosted by MEPs Brando Benifei and Maria de Graca Carvalho titled “Towards a more resilient ageing population in Europe: building a coalition on Structural Heart Diseases”...

COVID-19 is particularly dangerous for people with an underlying heart condition, such as structural heart disease. As population ageing in Europe increases, so too does the percentage of people with undiagnosed and untreated …

MEP César Luena (S&D, ES) wrote to the European Commission on its new EU4Health programme which aims to ‘improve the resilience of health systems and ensure better health outcomes for all’. …

What is the Commission’s view on making screening for structural heart disease and other age-related conditions part of the EU Health Programme?

By 2020, 20% of the EU’s population will be aged over 65, and by 2040 that number will have increased to almost 30%. EU Member States will have to adapt their economic and social structures to cope with the increase …