Ten years after a landmark European Parliament Motion for a Resolution on Diabetes, MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes’ co-chairs, MEPs Sirpa Pietikäinen and Christel Schaldemose, with support from the MEP Heart Group, hosted a webinar on May 12 at 8.00-9.00 to explore the progress achieved on tackling diabetes and CVD in the last decade and how an ambitious ‘Healthier Together – EU Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Initiative’ can help achieve the many Resolution’s objectives that are still outstanding.

The Healthier Together Initiative was launched by the European Commission in December 2021. It aims to help Member States reduce the burden of major NCDs such as diabetes. Cardiovascular disease, for which diabetes is a key risk factor and which is also its leading cause of mortality, is also included in the initiative. A consensus document, described as a “toolkit to guide and coordinate action on NCDs” will be published by the Commission in June.

This initiative, which will be largely financed as part of the EU4Health programme, represents a major shift for the EC, which, until recently, had indicated that it would not support any disease-specific approaches other than cancer. The new vision is a unique opportunity to improve not only the prevention of diabetes and CVD but also the treatment, health outcomes and quality of life of the 32 million adults living with diabetes in the European Union.

Agenda:

Opening remarks

• MEP Christel Schaldemose, MMD Co-Chair

Presentations

• Status and the way forward for the EU NCD Initiative – Artur Furtado, Deputy Head of Unit, DG SANTE, European Commission

• Improving diabetes care and quality of life: Priorities of the diabetes community (Joao-Filipe Raposo, Clinical Director at APDP – Diabetes Portugal and President of the Portuguese Society of Diabetology)

• Improving CVD care and quality of life: Priorities of the CVD community (Martin Halle, President, Preventive Cardiology Association, European Society of Cardiology)

Panel discussion

• Artur Furtado, Deputy Head of Unit, DG SANTE, European Commission

• MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen, MMD Co-Chair

• Charmaine Griffiths, President, European Heart Network

• Chantal Mathieu, President, European Diabetes Forum

• Niti Pall, Chair, International Diabetes Federation Europe

Closing remarks

• MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen, MMD Co-Chair

The discussion will be moderated by Cajsa Lindberg, IDF Europe Advisor.