Solidarity, the soul of Europe
“It was Robert Schuman who said: Europe needs a soul, an ideal, and the political will to serve this ideal”. It is with these words that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, began her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament on September 15.
What is the ideal that Robert Schuman (one of the architects of the EU) and Ursula von der Leyen were referring to? What is the soul of Europe?
In one word - Solidarity.
Solidarity commonly refers to a state of mind grounded in a sentiment of unity. Schuman believed that the notion of solidarity should be put at the centre of the European project. In his vision, Europe was not merely a collection of States, but a supra-national institution, based on a spirit of collaboration and partnership, and free of those artificial borders that hinder the mobility of ideas and people.
Schuman’s vision and his concept of solidarity are still crucial today to achieve peace and progress for humankind. Europe is a place of contradiction, where diversity (in languages, cultures, traditions) and unity coexist, and where unity is enriched by diversity.
During her speech, President von der Leyen affirmed that strengthening Schuman's European ideal is a continuous task, and that we should not shy away from our inconsistencies and imperfections. She stated that “a strong European soul is only possible if EU Member States show solidarity”, and focus on cooperation, dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of their differences.
In difficult times, when there is still much grief in our society as the pandemic lingers, we have to translate the abstract concept of solidarity into a concrete act of democracy and equity.
Solidarity, in today’s context, means that no one is left behind. We need to ensure we don’t betray the soul of Europe.
IDF EUROPE YOUTH PLATFORM
The Youth Leadership Lab is up and running, and our participants are sharing with us their empowering life stories and the challenges they have to face every day as people living with diabetes (PwD).
We have asked Cameron, from Ireland, to share his experience so far. Read the interview of this amazing young diabetes activist here.
“Living with diabetes for over a decade has taught me a lot about myself and what’s important for a happy & healthy life. I am passionate about young people’s voices in diabetes care & advocacy.”
Over the summer, we have been presenting on our Facebook page the 18 young advocates who joined the 2021 Youth Leadership Lab to become the leaders of tomorrow and make an impact at the local, national and international levels. Stay connected to meet all the participants!
To learn more about YOURAH and other IDF Europe's youth initiatives, click here.
IDF EUROPE NEWS, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
SAVE THE DATE! IDF Europe events on World Diabetes Day
The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021 is Access to Diabetes Care, if not now when? Millions of PwD in Europe do not have equal access to diabetes care, education and psychological support, healthy food and a safe place to exercise. To inform policymakers, raise awareness and promote impactful actions, IDF Europe will hold two webinars in November.
“Access to diabetes care – If not now, when? How are digital technologies and AI improving access to diabetes care?” (Nov. 16, 12.00 pm CET). The webinar will be hosted by MMD Co-chair, MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen, and MEP Marisa Matias. Speakers will address the critical role of digital technologies and AI in supporting equitable and sustainable access to quality diabetes care. Click here to register! |
“Access to diabetes care – If not now, when? Innovative financing for sustainable access to quality diabetes care in Central and Eastern Europe - How far are we from Universal Health Coverage?” (Nov, 18, 12.00 pm CET). Speakers will explore the key strategies supporting improved availability and affordability of core diabetes interventions and services including budget prioritisation, re-design of healthcare systems and review of procurement systems as well as health financing mechanisms and innovative approaches to healthcare system financing. Click here to register! |
IDF Europe Prizes
The IDF Europe Centenary of Insulin Innovation Prize To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, IDF Europe will award the IDF Europe Centenary of Insulin Innovation Prize, supported by Lilly Diabetes. This award recognises an individual, a community-based or not-for-profit organisation, or a startup that has come up with an innovative approach/initiative to support people living with diabetes, their relatives and/or healthcare professionals. For more information on how to apply, click here. Deadline for application: October 31, 2021 |
IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes 2021 - Long-Standing Achievement Award Since 2012, IDF Europe, in partnership with Lilly Diabetes, has recognised excellence, innovation and commitment in diabetes through the IDF Europe Prizes in Diabetes. In 2021, to continue with this important appreciation, the award will be given to an outstanding association dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes and those at risk in their country. For more information about how to nominate an association, click here. Deadline for application: October 31, 2021 |
IDF Europe at EASD 2021
Following the fully virtual 2020 edition, the 2021 EASD Annual Meeting was also held fully online from September 27 to October 1. At IDF Europe’s booth, informative material was made available to present our priority projects and activities.
A report of the webinar and the full recording will be available on IDF Europe’s website at the beginning of November.
IDF Europe Centenary of Insulin Campaign
As part of our Centenary of Insulin campaign, we are releasing national factsheets presenting key facts about diabetes care, with the purpose of raising awareness and enabling policymakers to make better decisions when it comes to diabetes care. To support the factsheets, Presidents and/or Board Members of National Diabetes Associations, members of IDF Europe, share their views about the situation in their countries, highlighting some of the recent achievements, the role of their association and the gaps and challenges that still need to be addressed. Young advocates from our YOURAH network are also sharing their personal stories and experiences about access to diabetes care and education in their countries.
Follow this link to read the new factsheet for Greece.
We thank our Members and those young advocates who have participated in our campaign. We look forward to more discussions with our network over the next few months!
We are currently developing a dedicated website for the IDF Europe Centenary of Insulin campaign. Stay tuned!
The individual country profiles from our Diabetes & COVID-19 survey for Finland is now available on our website.
We will continue to publish more country profiles as they become available to highlight how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of PwD across Europe.
Are you living with Type 2 Diabetes? We would love to hear from you!
Are you living with Type 2 Diabetes and based in Europe? You welcome advice but believe that you should have the final say because you are the one who knows best about your needs, wishes and hopes? You don’t want diabetes to take over your life but you want to make sure that everything is done to improve your care and quality of life?
We would love to hear from you! And to invite you to provide testimonials, participate in the establishment of a platform of people living with T2D and/or participate as a patient representative in EU-funded projects.
If you are interested, or know someone that may be, please contact Simona at simona.vitali@idf-europe.org!
NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS
The Fédération Française des Diabétiques (FFD) launches a web-series titled "MY INSULINE" on the occasion of the Centenary of Insulin
On the occasion of the Centenary of Insulin, the FFD wishes to highlight the challenges that PwD experience every day through a series of video testimonials which will be released throughout 2021. In the web series, people living with different types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, rare diabetes such as MODY, gestational diabetes) share their stories and their own personal experiences.
To watch the 22 episodes of "MON INSULINE" and to discover more about this initiative, click here.
APDP organised the fourth edition of its annual expeditions in Serra da Estrela
On September 3-5, APDP organised the 4th edition of its annual expeditions in the Serra da Estrela, the highest mountains in continental Portugal. Twenty-three participants took part in the 2021 expedition, including people living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), parents of people living with T1D, APDP healthcare professionals and a guide. The three hiking days aimed to train people living with T1D to optimize their diabetes self-management taking into account both adverse weather conditions and high levels of physical exertion.
Click here to read more.
The Swedish Diabetes Association organised a youth camp during the month of September
On September 10-12, the Swedish Diabetes Association hosted, in its office in Stockholm, a youth camp for people living with diabetes. A group of four people (aged 18-29 years old) participated in the camp, as well as four council members of Young Diabetes Sweden. The theme of the camp was "Diabetes does not stop me from doing what I want”. During these three days, attendees had the chance to participate in team-building activities and listen to lectures about project management.
Click here to discover more.
The diabetes community loses a passionate advocate in Natalya Tukalevskaya
It is with great sadness that we learned that Natalya Tukalevskaya, the former President of DARK Kazakhstan, passed away on September 16, 2021. On behalf of the European diabetes community, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to her family and friends as well as to all the colleagues and volunteers of the Diabetes Association of the Republic of Kazakhstan in this time of grief.
NEWS FROM EUROPE
Influenza Diabetes Community event on World Diabetes Day, 16 November, 14:30-16:00 CET
The Influenza Diabetes Community (IDC) will hold a virtual webinar – “What about respiratory virus infections? Prevention for people living with diabetes in COVID times” on 16 November, 14.30-16.00 CET. The webinar will be hosted by Dr Marco Goeijenbier, IDC Chair and Dr Konstantinos Makrilakis, IDF Europe Board Member. The event will examine identified gaps between awareness of the risks of respiratory viral infections and securing access to care for people living with diabetes. Speakers and panellists will also explore influenza treatment in high-risk groups, current therapy and emerging options and how to minimise the awareness gap and maximise prevention strategies. Other areas of discussion will centre on the co-vaccination against the flu and COVID-19, diabetes and long COVID as well as existing treatments.
The full list of speakers and the registration link will be available soon!
WHO NEWS
71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe sets direction for the region post-COVID
The 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC71) took place virtually during 13-15 September 2021. Health ministers and high-level representatives of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region together with partner organisations and civil society discussed current health challenges and set the direction for future actions. The pan-European health community adopted new regional frameworks for primary healthcare, immunization and mental health as well as a measurement framework for the European Programme of Work, 2020-2025 - “United Action for Better Health in Europe”.
This year’s RC71 agenda was ambitious, covering a wide range of health topics, looking at the present state of play on COVID-19, how to move towards better health and well-being and how to measure the progress achieved. For the diabetes community, it is crucial that governments develop an honest, equal and meaningful collaboration with their national diabetes associations, citizens and civil society at large to respond to the needs of PwD and rebuild resilient health systems that are well-equipped to take care of the most vulnerable now, and when the next pandemic hits.
Click here to discover more and to read IDF Europe full statements during the RC71.
Advocacy Research on Lived Experience of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Conditions
The WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs (GCM/NCD) is opening a call for applications for people living with NCD to join a working group to support the development of a new WHO guide for countries on how to engage meaningfully people living with NCDs and mental health conditions in shaping and informing NCD policies and services.
Individuals who would like to express interest can complete this survey form.
More information can be found here.
WHO prioritizes access to diabetes and cancer treatments in new Essential Medicines Lists
On 1 October 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released its updated Model Lists of Essential Medicines and Essential Medicines for Children, giving particular focus to insulin analogues and new oral medicines for diabetes. Other listings included medicines for cancer, smoking cessation treatments and antimicrobials.
High prices and low availability of essential new and old medicines are a major barrier for patients’ access and deepen global health inequalities. Insulin was discovered 100 years ago and human insulin has been on WHO’s List of Essential Medicines since it was first published in 1977. However, 100 years later, issues regarding affordable access still persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and many people living with diabetes (PwD) cannot avail themselves of this life-saving treatment.
WHO’s updated List now includes long-acting insulin analogues (insulin degludec, detemir and glargine) and their biosimilars to complement human insulin in bringing blood glucose levels into near optimal range. Inclusion of biosimilars in the list means biosimilar insulin analogues can be eligible for WHO’s prequalification programme, which can result in more quality-assured biosimilars coming to market. Long-acting insulin analogues offer extra clinical benefits such as greater flexibility in timing and dosing. PwD can manage their blood glucose levels over longer periods of time without needing a booster dose. The updated list also includes SGLT2 inhibitors as second-line therapy in adults with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Because SGLT2 inhibitors are still patented and high-priced, it is recommended that WHO works with the Medicines Patent Pool to promote access.
Improving access to essential medicines and care and reducing the risk of developing T2D are also a major objective of the WHO’s Global Diabetes Compact launched on 14 April, 2021. One of the Compact’s components is to improve access to diabetes diagnostics, medicines, and health products such as insulin in low-income and middle-income countries. This commitment has been clearly reinforced by WHO’s concrete action to include some diabetes medicines in its Essential Medicines Lists.
The Global Diabetes Compact is currently under further development and the diabetes community is excited to see the future steps that will ultimately improve the life of PwD around the world.
See WHO press release ‘WHO prioritizes access to diabetes and cancer treatments in new Essential Medicines Lists’ here.
For more information about the Compact, see WHO’s resource on tangible targets and objectives here.
IDF EUROPE ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION WORK
DG SANTE convenes stakeholder consultation on EU4Health Work Programme 2022
On September 10, 2021, DG SANTE convened a workshop to present the results of the targeted stakeholder consultation on the EU4Health Work Programme 2022 and to gain further insights from the participants. The Unit presented the state of affairs of the ongoing implementation of the Work Programme 2021 (WP2021) and gave an overview of the priorities, strategic orientations and budget of the Work Programme 2022 (WP2022).
With an estimated budget of €764 million, the WP2022 will focus on disease prevention and health promotion as the most urgent needs to be addressed in 2022 and beyond. The stakeholders attending the meeting emphasised the need to promote life-long health by putting in place healthy and safe urban, work and social environments, enabling healthy life choices and taking into account the needs of vulnerable groups at every stage of their life.
Click here to read why the WP2022 is crucial for PwD and IDF Europe’s recommendations for 2022.
Public consultation on the revision of the EU’s pharmaceutical strategy now open for feedback
The European Commission recently published a public consultation on the revision of the EU’s Pharmaceutical Strategy, which will run until 21 December, 2021. All national diabetes associations and individual stakeholders are encouraged to contribute to the future regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals and share their expertise on how to best address the unmet needs of people living with diabetes relating to access to medicines, technologies and care.
For the diabetes community, one of the most relevant focus areas of the proposed revised strategy is the ambition to ensure access to affordable medicines and address unmet medical needs for all. To achieve these goals, the Commission aims to invest in the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of the EU’s pharmaceutical industry and unite all stakeholders to create a person-centred and value-based approach to care.
IDF Europe supports the Strategy’s objectives to reduce inequalities in access to affordable medicines for patients across the EU and within Member States (MS), which have become even more apparent during the COVID-19 crisis. We also commend the goals of addressing unmet medical needs, which are present across many conditions, and promoting the adoption of new innovative tools, treatments and technologies to reduce health expenditure and improve care.
To discover how to achieve these goals, and to visit IDF Europe’s full response to the roadmap consultation on the evaluation and revision of the general pharmaceutical legislation, click here.
International Days are a great opportunity for IDF Europe to communicate on diabetes and to raise awareness.
Global Week for Action on NCD
Every year until the UN High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in 2025, the Global Week for Action on NCDs aims at raising awareness of NCD prevention and care and ensure action in reducing the NCD burden globally. This year’s campaign focused on the power of communities to co-create healthier societies and act with others on NCDs.
IDF Europe actively supported the campaign throughout the week, sharing visual messages on social media highlighting the urgent need for action and calling for greater engagement and involvement of PwD at all levels. Check our Facebook page to learn more!
European Week of Sport
For people living with diabetes, regular exercise helps maintain optimal glucose levels and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications. This is why during the European Week of Sport, IDF Europe called on governments and other decision-makers to develop safe and health-enabling environments.
Watch our video on YouTube!
World Heart Day
On WorldHeartDay, IDF Europe wished to applaud the new recommendations to reduce cardiovascular risk in people living with diabetes, who are twice more likely to develop and die from CVD. Dr José Manuel Boavida, President of the Portuguese Diabetes Association (APDP) and IDF Europe Board Member, talked about the link between CVD and diabetes in a video interview. Watch it here!
Read the 2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice here.
EU FUNDED PROJECTS
Highlights of a Survey of Children and Teenagers living with Diabetes, their Parents and their Coaches and Gym teachers - Sport&Diabetes
Children, teenagers and young adults diagnosed with diabetes sometimes struggle to continue with their sporting activities in the same way as they did before their diagnosis, while parents, teachers and coaches also sometimes lack the necessary knowledge, training and/or confidence to ensure that children and youths living with diabetes can participate in all sports activities safely and to their optimal performance.
To address this, the Sport & Diabetes consortium is developing a publication that will address the main questions and concerns of all key stakeholders – children and youths 25 and under, their parents as well as coaches and trainers.
To inform this publication, the Sports & Diabetes consortium has conducted a survey to identify the main concerns and questions of these stakeholder groups. To date, 566 people have responded to the survey, which will run until the end of the year, and can be found here in English, German, Croatian, Italian and Greek.
Click here to discover the top-line highlights of the survey results to date! The full survey analysis will be published in early 2022.
MMD ACTIVITIES
MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD) newsletter coming soon!
As the Secretariat for the MEP Interest Group, MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD), IDF Europe will soon start publishing a quarterly newsletter to provide MEPs with an overview of all upcoming diabetes-related events and updates on the legislative landscape in the area of health.
Stay tuned!
The Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the European Union by 2030 presented at the FEND conference
Cajsa Lindberg, former president of the Swedish Diabetes Association and mentor of the YOURAH group, presented The Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the European Union by 2030 at the FEND conference on September 23. The Blueprint is the cornerstone of the activities of the MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD) Interest Group, and it is also a critical tool for everyone, at national and European level, who is committed to improving the policy response to the growing burden of diabetes in Europe.
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