In early 2024, two Policy Champions for the European Heart Failure Mission received written responses from the European Commission on the need for specific funding for heart failure care and research.
Raised by Demetris Papadakis MEP and Barry Andrews MEP, the questions highlighted the growing burden that heart failure places on people living with the syndrome and health systems across Europe and called attention to the lack of funding specifically for cardiovascular disease – including heart failure – in large EU funding programmes such as the 2023 EU4Health Work Programme.
Barry Andrews MEP (left) and Demetris Papadakis MEP (right) submitted questions to the European Commission on the lack of specific funding for heart failure in EU funding programmes.
In response to both questions, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, stated that cardiovascular diseases – and their burden on public health – were covered by the EU’s ‘Healthier Together’ initiative. She reaffirmed the Commission’s ongoing support of Member States in tackling risk factors that contribute to the development of non-communicable diseases.
Heart failure affects 15 million people across Europe, with one in four adults likely to be diagnosed with heart failure during their lifetimes.
The EU must take further action to enshrine future funding for heart failure care and research through programmes such as Horizon Europe and EU4Health to ensure that sustained progress is made in tackling the syndrome.
Read the response to Demetris Papadakis MEP
Read the response to Barry Andrews MEP
