Brussels, 26/09/2024 – With World Heart Day around the corner, it is now more important than ever to let the voice of the people be heard. Sign the petition at: https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/petition/#sign-the-petition.

Cardiovascular disease remains the biggest killer of men and women, both in the EU and globally. Despite these alarming figures, many countries still lack comprehensive national plans to address this immense burden. In response, World Heart Federation launched a global petition calling on governments to develop and implement dedicated cardiovascular health plans. At EACH, we would like to express our support for this campaign. Dedicated plans can save millions of lives, prevent suffering, and reduce costs. Sign the petition and hold your national policymakers accountable!  

Brussels, 19/09/2024 – In light of the continued negotiations around the draft Council Conclusions on Improving Cardiovascular Health in the EU, EACH Partners welcomed several Health Attachés from the Permanent Represenations to the EU for a breakfast meeting on cardiovascular health.

The meeting featured two keynote speakers: Assoc. Professor Melinda B. Roaldsen shared her personally story of stroke recovery, reminding us once more why cardiovascular disease should be tackled as a political priority; Professor Paul Dendale underlined how small preventative actions can make huge impacts, the importance of early detection and screening, and areas of support which could be unlocked at the EU level. Our early morning meeting ended with a discussion between EACH Partners and Health Attachés, focused on national progress on CVD action plans.

Brussels, 17/09/2024 – President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her new College of Commissioners and put forward Mr. Olivér Várhelyi as the Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare.

At EACH, we welcome the inclusion of cardiovascular disease in President von der Leyen’s Mission Letter to Commissioner-Designate Várhelyi. CVD remains the biggest killer of men and women in the EU today, and the time to act is now. EACH partners stand ready to support and make a European Cardiovascular Health Plan a reality.

Brussels, 16/09/2024 – Today EACH Partners have sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asking for the promise of action on CVD to be upheld. In this mandate, CVD has a real chance to be tackled holistically and in a meaningful way for European citizens across the region. Let’s not miss it.

Budapest, 25/07/2024 – Today, European health leaders gathered in Budapest for an informal EPSCO meeting to discuss critical health issues affecting millions across the continent.

The first working session, titled “European Action Against Cardiovascular Diseases”, emphasized the critical need for concerted strategies to combat CVD, which remains the leading cause of mortality in the EU. The session featured a keynote speech by Franz Weidinger, President of the European Society of Cardiology.

Emphasis was placed on cardiovascular health from childhood through old age, on promoting a healthy lifestyle, and on granting equal access to advanced medical treatments across the EU.

Budapest, 04/07/2024 – Today, the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU organised a High-Level Conference on CVH.

Leading experts from the field, as well as key policymakers and patient representatives, have gathered together to discuss European action on fighting cardiovascular disease, the biggest killer of both men and women in the EU. Besides four technical panels on primary and secondary prevention, treatment and innovation, and rehabilitation and patient centered support, a fifth, Ministerial panel took place with high-ranking officials from several EU Member States (Poland, Spain, Hungary, Malta, Ireland, and Romania) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Many EACH Partners were present in person to share their expertise and take part in the discussions.

Brussels 14 March 2024: The European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH) welcomes the recent announcement by the European People’s Party to include a ‘European Cardiovascular Health Plan’ as a core component of their electoral manifesto.

This historic step answers the urgent need for comprehensive action to address Europe’s health crisis and tackle its leading cause of death – cardiovascular disease which costs the EU €282 bn every year. The long-term mission to achieve a healthier Europe was the reason why the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH) was created in 2021 as a coalition of patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and health industry representatives.  

Dear Members of the European Parliament, the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH) invites you to mark your calendars for the “Vote Cardiovascular Health 2024” exhibition.

The exhibition will be hosted by MEP Elżbieta Łukacijewska (PL, EPP) and MEP Radka Maxová (CZ, S&D), both long-time supporters of cardiovascular health in the European Union.

It will take place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Swan Bar (Bar des cygnes) area, from December 11th to December 14th.

“Vote Cardiovascular Health 2024” is a unique initiative that zooms in on the critical issue of cardiovascular health, the leading cause of mortality in the EU and worldwide.

This event is tailored to inform and engage MEPs and their teams, providing essential insights into the true cost of cardiovascular disease and the significant number of EU citizens affected by it.

Dear Members of the European Parliament, your presence is essential to making this exhibition a resounding success. We encourage you to attend and address this urgent matter.

Join us in this milestone event in the European Parliament, on Thursday 17 November from 15:00 to 17:00 CET, hosted by MEP Tomislav Sokol.

The event is an opportunity to discuss how the EU can act to improve cardiovascular health for all, the 60 million people in Europe suffering from the cardiovascular disease today, and the millions of people that are living with cardiovascular disease without being diagnosed.

Attendees will hear from a rich panel of speakers including cardiovascular patients, MEPs, national policymakers, and experts in cardiovascular health policy.

 

Click here for the agenda. 

Following the meeting, the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health adopted a statement on the need to mainstream cardiovascular health into all policies if the greatest burden of disease in the EU and globally is to be reduced.

On World Heart Day, the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health reminds the EU that cardiovascular health can only be realised if coordinated policies are developed within and between countries in the EU. Cardiovascular health is the heart of the matter if we are to live longer and healthier lives.  

World Heart Day acts as a milestone to remind the EU of the huge inequalities in cardiovascular health and the need for strong political will to tackle them.

Over the past 30 years, deaths and disability from cardiovascular disease have steadily increased in Europe, and CVD remains the leading cause of death in Europe and the world. CVD impacts the lives of more than 60 million Europeans every day and costs the EU economy 210 billion EUR every year. As recently stated by the World Health Organisation, “although COVID is the most visible pandemic of our lifetime, it is neither the deadliest nor the most preventable. Cardiovascular disease has killed five times as many people. We have the public health tools to tackle it. The question is, can we muster the social and political will to use them?”

CVD is a vast group of disorders, all related to the heart and circulatory (vascular) system, including stroke. CVD is closely related to other chronic diseases such as diabetes or kidney disease, but also to vascular dementia, which is often caused by heart disease and strokes.

As evidenced by experts, there are striking differences between countries in the EU, not only in terms of the incidence of CVD, but also in terms of national prevention and treatment strategies. With the upcoming EU elections, there is an opportunity to position the cardiovascular health plan as a public health priority.

The time to act is now. There is a strong case for the EU to come forward with a European Cardiovascular Health Plan to promote and facilitate coordinated and appropriate actions, ranging from prevention and early detection to treatment and rehabilitation, to ensure a good and healthy quality of life, for all people across the Member States.

An EU Cardiovascular Health Plan will be the tool for an integrated response to ensure that European citizens live longer, healthier lives – regardless of where they were born or live in the EU. Such a plan would be a blueprint and potentially an inspiration and best practice for action inside and outside of the EU to promote cardiovascular health.

Ambitious incentives and actions have been set to support policymakers in EACH Vision for Europe, unveiled earlier this year.  EACH strives to shift focus from cardiovascular disease to cardiovascular health for all people, through primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, including quality of life and psychological outcomes across the spectrum of cardiovascular health. Cross-cutting actions comprise: 1) a European Cardiovascular Health Data Knowledge Centre, 2) a European Cardiovascular Health Observatory, 2) national Cardiovascular Health plans, and 4) a progressive policy environment for digital transformation in Cardiovascular Health.