Check out the report of the 2024 YOURAH Forum

On November 7-9, 2024, 15 YOURAH members joined the IDF Europe YOURAH Forum in Brussels. Each year, this get-together provides an opportunity for our Youth Leadership Lab alumni to reconnect and engage in shared advocacy efforts.    

Under the theme “Raising the voice of the youth diabetes community at the European level”, the event consisted of training sessions on advocacy and communication skills and a visit to the EU Parliament. 

Applications to the YLL 2025 will open soon!

In 2011, IDF Europe launched the Youth Leadership Camp, now Youth Leadership Lab (YLL), an initiative designed to nurture a new generation of advocates and build a strong pan-European network. Each year, around 24 young advocates (aged 18-30) from IDF Europe’s member associations are invited to take part in this transformative experience. 

In 2025, the YLL will take place from July 6 to 12. Applications will open in February – stay tuned!

European Parliament event on the early detection of Type 1 diabetes

On December 12, 2024, IDF Europe Board Member, Prof. João Raposo participated in a European Parliament event hosted by MEP De Meo and focused on the early detection of Type 1 diabetes (T1D). During the event, Prof. Raposo presented insights from the implementation of the EDENT1FI project in Portugal – an initiative which aims to advance our understanding, care and prevention of T1D in children. 

MMD Member, MEP Moretti, joined the discussion and emphasised the importance of prioritising health over economic interests: “A holistic approach is needed with key priorities including addressing risk factors, ensuring access to screening and care for all, and expanding research on women’s health.” 

Parliament Magazine event: “Reshaping cardiometabolic health”

On December 11, 2024, IDF Europe Regional Manager, Elisabeth Dupont, joined the Parliament Magazine's working lunch on cardiometabolic health hosted by MMD members, MEPs András Kulja and Vytenis Andriukaitis. 

During the event, Elisabeth Dupont stressed that 50% of PwD do not meet their treatment targets, leaving them more exposed to complications. She called for early diagnosis, a less siloed approach to care and greater focus on comorbidities to support a healthier Europe. The event highlighted the interconnectedness between diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and obesity, and emphasised the need for a holistic and comprehensive approach to prevention and care. 

Meeting with European Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, during the EUDF strategy workshop

On January 15, European Diabetes Forum (EUDF) members had the honour of meeting European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Olivér Várhelyi, during their strategy workshop.

This meeting represented a key opportunity to discuss the diabetes community’s priorities and his commitment to incorporating diabetes and obesity into a European Cardiovascular Health plan.

We welcome his focus on adopting a comprehensive, life-long approach to addressing NCDs and his emphasis on improving diagnosis and treatment. 

We look forward to collaborating with Commissioner Várhelyi to improve health outcomes and quality of life for all people living with diabetes and other chronic conditions in the EU. 

IDF Europe at the European Parliament event on advancing kidney disease screening
in the EU

On January 28, IDF Europe Regional Manager, Elisabeth Dupont, participated in an event organised by the European Kidney Forum and the MEP Group for Kidney Health. Co-hosted by MMD Members, MEPs Tomislav Sokol and András Kulja, the event highlighted the need to advance kidney disease screening to improve early detection and health outcomes for those living with or at risk of developing the condition.  

Elisabeth Dupont highlighted the link between diabetes and kidney disease, and the importance of access to regular screening for kidney disease and other diabetes-related complications. She also mentioned EU Joint Actions, like the JACARDI initiative on CVD and diabetes, as an example of joint approaches to tackling interconnected conditions and stressed that such frameworks should be expanded to include other NCDs like kidney disease. 

Workshop: “Bridging the gap: collaborative efforts on liver health, obesity and diabetes”

On November 29–30, 2024, IDF Europe Regional Manager, Elisabeth Dupont and T2D advocates, Kostas Tagkalos and Sergio Paoletti, participated in a collaborative training event organised by the European Liver Patients’ Association (ELPA) in Lisbon. As the result of a collaboration between ELPA, IDF Europe and the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO), the meeting brought together people living with diabetes, liver disease, obesity as well as medical experts and advocacy leaders. The event aimed to address the complex interplay between these conditions and to promote interdisciplinary collaboration. 

We are deeply grateful for this opportunity to gain insights into the advocacy landscape of other conditions and to explore ways to strengthen our collective impact through collaboration across communities. 

Interview: “A joint approach on CVD and diabetes is more than just the sum of the two”

IDF Europe is a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Board of JACARDI – the EU Joint Action supporting European countries in reducing the burden of CVD and diabetes. 

Following the project’s General Assembly last October, JACARDI published an interview with IDF Europe Regional Manager, Elisabeth Dupont in which she highlights the crucial role of engaging national diabetes associations and people with lived experience: 

“Translating project results into policy changes requires collaboration with the community and a clear understanding of how the project aligns with regional and national diabetes priorities [...] IDF Europe strongly believes that the voice of PwD must remain central at all levels to ensure that interventions, innovations and policy changes truly address their needs and deliver tangible impact.” 

Human Rights and Universal Health Coverage Day: “Our rights, our future, right now”

Last December, on Human Rights Day and Universal Health Coverage Day we raised awareness of the fundamental role of human rights, including the right to health, in building fair and equitable societies. 

Too many people – including those living with diabetes and other NCDs – still face barriers in accessing essential health services, medicines and devices, and are not able to enjoy their best possible quality of life. 

On this important occasion, Diabetes Advocates Rebecca Barlow-Noone and Linda Budde shared important messages.

International Migrants Day: 
“Ensuring universal access to healthcare for all”

On December 18, we celebrated International Migrants Day by calling for universal access to medicines and health services for all PwD, regardless of their migratory status. 

No one should face barriers to essential healthcare. However, migrants and refugees often face challenges accessing life-saving diabetes care due to inequalities and lack of resources. 

We advocate for inclusive healthcare systems that protect the rights of all PwD, no matter where they come from or where they live. 

Leonard Thompson Day and the anniversary of the discovery of insulin

Each January, we celebrate the centenary of insulin’s discovery and Leonard Thompson Day, honouring the 14-year-old boy living with T1D who received the first successful insulin injection in 1922. 

Since its introduction 103 years ago, insulin has saved millions of lives and many new innovations in the field of diabetes have improved health outcomes and quality of life for PwD. 

Today, ongoing research continues to drive groundbreaking advancements in diabetes prevention, treatment and management – offering hope for better lives and an eventual cure. 

AI and education: preserving human agency in a world of automation

On January 24, we celebrated the International Day of Education with the theme "AI and Education – Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation." On this occasion, we examined how AI is transforming diabetes care, while raising the question: how can we ensure AI supports human agency without replacing it?

By looking at the role of education, we explored the need to equip PwD and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with the tools and knowledge to use AI responsibly and involving them in the design of AI-powered tools to maximise their full potential while addressing challenges like inequality, bias and accessibility. 

The OECD publishes “Health at a Glance: Europe 2024”

Last November, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the 2024 edition of the biennial publication “Health at a Glance: Europe” – a report examining the major challenges facing European health systems in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As part of the European Commission State of Health in the EU cycle, the publication provides an examination of health workforce shortages in Europe; a review of the most recent trends in the health of Europe’s ageing population; and a comparative overview of data on health status, risk factors and health system performance across European countries.  

WHO Second European Programme of Work

WHO Europe and Member States are advancing the Second European Programme of Work to address health challenges and megatrends such as climate change over the next years.

Youth engagement is central, as seen in a Youth Consultation Meeting last December and at a public hearing in January, where young participants highlighted mental health, inequalities in healthcare and environmental health as key priorities, and stressed the importance of co-creation in policymaking. 

IDF Europe supports the meaningful engagement of young people to ensure inclusive, effective and non-discriminatory policies. 

New EU rules on health technology assessment

On January 12, the new EU rules on Health Technology Assessment became applicable. These aim to ensure that innovative and effective health technologies are available to all patients across the EU. 

With this EU framework for the assessment of health technologies, such as medicines and medical devices, it is hoped that EU citizens will gain faster and wider access to new and more effective innovative products. 

Launch of the WHO European Health Report 2024

On February 13, WHO Europe will launch its European Health Report for 2024 during a live webinar.

Published every three years, these reports provide an overview of the European population’s health status and an analysis of progress towards health policy goals and targets to identify priority areas for action and opportunities for improvement.

The event will be streamed live on WHO Europe’s channels. 

Trials@Home Annual Meeting

IDF Europe is a consortium member of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project, Trials@Home, which explores the implementation of decentralised clinical trials (DCTs) to improve representativeness, effectiveness and efficiency. On December 4–6, 2024, Trials@Home held its annual meeting in Paris.  

IDF Europe, who has been overseeing a Patient Expert Panel (PEP) since the inception of the project, is now working on an evaluation of the PEP’s engagement. This incorporates feedback from PEP members, researchers and other consortium partners. During the Annual Meeting, IDF Europe presented the latest updates on the assessment, including preliminary survey results, and discussed the outcomes of this important work. 

ISLET Annual Meeting

IDF Europe is part of the EU Horizon 2020 project “ISLET – Advancing Innovative Stem Cell-based Therapy for Diabetes in Europe”.  The project aims to build and implement a new and innovative programme for producing and marketing human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) for the treatment of people living with T1D. 

On December 10–11, 2024, consortium members met in Munich for the project’s last Annual Meeting. As part of the project, a group of IDF Europe YOURAH members is working on a series of videos highlighting ISLET's main goals as well as current needs and trends in diabetes research. The videos are based on interviews they conducted with young scientists working on the project.

DigiCare4You Annual Meeting

IDF Europe is part of the DigiCare4You Horizon 2020 project which aims to improve the early prevention and management of T2D and hypertension (HTN).   

From December 16–18, 2024, IDF Europe joined consortium partners in Sofia for the project’s Annual Meeting where they reviewed progress across all work packages and discussed the next steps. 

DigiCare4You has reached an exciting phase as initial results are now being collected and analysed. As the project moves into its final stage, partners will intensify efforts to implement findings, assess cost-effectiveness, and evaluate the solution’s scalability and transferability. 

DigiCare4You new publication

The DigiCare4You consortium recently published a new article in the Journal of Universal Access in the Information Society. 

The article explores the usability and acceptance of the digital screening tool for T2D developed as part of the study in four European Countries – Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Spain. It highlights researchers’ efforts to understand the experiences of HCPs and citizens using the tool, while identifying key factors that influence its adoption and integration into practice. 

Results showed that both HCPs and citizens found the DigiCare4You tool to be user-friendly and useful for diabetes screening. 

PRIME General Assembly

The Horizon 2020 PRIME study, in which IDF Europe participated, aimed to understand the multimorbidity of insulin signaling and brain disorders and how these might overlap with somatic conditions. 

From December 11–13, IDF Europe attended the final consortium meeting of the project in Cologne. PRIME has laid a strong foundation for future innovations, with findings already influencing research and practice. IDF Europe contributed to developing a course for clinicians on the impact of lifestyle factors, glycaemic control and insulin signaling on brain health, highlighting the importance of integrated care. 

New project: MoveUp

IDF Europe recently joined the MoveUp project, which aims to enhance the well-being and physical condition of adults living with chronic conditions (CHC), specifically T2D and HTN through adapted sports programmes and lifestyle interventions. 

As a key project partner, IDF Europe will conduct a literature review on CHC and sports participation across Europe; develop a framework for Europe-wide focus groups to assess the needs of people living with CHC; establish a system to identify and document best practices in adapted sports programs; and analyse data related to wellbeing. 

SANT Committee holds constitutive meeting

On January 29, the SANT Committee held its inaugural meeting as a new standing committee in the European Parliament, electing MEP Adam Jarubas as Chair, along with four Vice-Chairs: MEPs Tilly Metz, Stine Bosse, Romana Jerković and Emmanouil Fragkos. The transition from a subcommittee to a full committee means that its membership has now been extended from 30 to 43 members. We are pleased to announce that nine MMD members are now part of the Committee – seven as full members (MEPs Vytenis Andriukaitis, Romana Jerković, Andras Kulja,  Catarina Martins, Tilly Metz, Alessandra Moretti and Tomislav Sokol) and two as substitutes (MEPs Peter Agius and Katerina Konecna). 

The first meeting addressed the digitalisation of health services, health workforce shortages, healthy ageing and health financing. 

MMD welcomes a new member – MEP Catarina Martins

MEP Catarina Martins (The Left, Portugal), a strong advocate for public health, recently joined the MMD Group. 

As Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the Caribbean-EU Parliamentary Assembly and an active member of various committees, including the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, MEP Martins brings valuable experience to the Group. Her focus is on addressing the growing impact of diabetes in Europe, with particular emphasis on the socio-economic factors influencing health outcomes. 

Her commitment to tackling the social determinants of health will significantly contribute to the MMD Group's efforts in advocating for stronger diabetes prevention, management and public health policies at the EU level.