MedTech Europe’s contribution to the ‘Healthier Together – EU Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative’

The MedTech Europe Cardiovascular Sector Group welcomes the EU NCD Initiative to help Member States address the burden posed by NCDs such as CVDs, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death in the EU, leading to significant economic and societal impacts – further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. CVD cost EU health care systems nearly €111 billion in 2015. Moreover, productivity losses due to morbidity and mortality cost the EU €54 billion in 2015², and the total cost of providing informal care for people with CVD was nearly €45 billion that same year.²

Recent evidence suggests that recovered patients, including those that were not hospitalised for acute COVID-19, suffer increased risk of CVD after being infected with SARS-Cov-2. Patients had increased risk of cardiovascular problems, including abnormal heart rhythms, heart muscle inflammation, blood clots, strokes, myocardial infarction, and heart failure.

Thus, MedTech Europe has identified three priorities for EU-supported action under the cardiovascular diseases strand, namely:

1. An EU Policy Plan to improve cardiovascular health
2. EU Policy Action on Secondary Prevention through early detection of CVDs
3. Facilitation of data gathering and exchange