Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the European Commission
3.7.2019
Member States are responsible for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services. Therefore, implementing established screening programmes for structural heart disease falls under the competence of Member States.
However, the Commission complements actions and supports Member States in meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals[1]. For example, following a call of proposals in 2018, Lithuania, Romania and Luxembourg expressed their interest for the transfer of the Italian best practice CARDIO 50[2] to their countries. The project‘YOUNG50#Stay Healthy-Cardiovascular Risk Prevention’[3] is now implementing this transfer co-funded by the EU Health Programme. It started in May 2019 and they are currently assessing the feasibility of the implementation of the CARDIO 50 model and adaptation of the existing materials and IT tools to the local context. The action may also include limited scale pilot screening in selected regions and cities and for a limited period of the project. Finally, the consortium will evaluate the impact of the action and explore its institutionalization.
This is part of the Commission’s holistic approach towards working with Member States to identify and implement best practices to address non-communicable diseases including heart disease selected by the Commission’s Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Disease[4] as a validated best practice.
- [1] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
- [2] For screening the population at 50 years old to identify those at risk of developing cardio-vascular disease. People identified as being at risk are encouraged and supported to change lifestyle factors that contribute to this risk.
- [3] https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/chafea_pdb/health/projects/847130/summary
- [4] https://ec.europa.eu/health/non_communicable_diseases/steeringgroup_promotionprevention_en