European Patients’ Forum Calls on New MEPs to Prioritise Health in the EU Agenda

The European Patients' Forum (EPF) extends a warm welcome to the newly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) following the recent EU Elections. As representatives settle into their roles, EPF recalls the need to place health at the forefront of the EU agenda.

With the introduction of the Patient Organisations’ Manifesto, EPF outlined a vision for the next decade of patient advocacy, stressing the importance of participatory and democratic involvement of patient organisations in shaping healthcare policies. EPF’s 2024 election campaign, #Vote4Patients, recognised the critical impact that MEPs’ decisions have on healthcare across Europe and called on them to support patient involvement in political dialogue and policy debates.  

As the cornerstone of the campaign, the Manifesto puts forward ten principles for greater involvement of patient organisations in healthcare systems. It calls for patient organisations to be meaningfully involved at all stages of policy development (participation in parliamentary committees, health policy working groups), and in healthcare processes such as health technology assessment (HTA). It urges decision-makers to provide unrestricted, sustainable, and long-term operating funding to support patient groups’ daily activities and allow them to fulfil their public health and representation mission. 

EPF President, Marco Greco, stated: "The health policies we shape today will define the future of millions of Europeans. This new mandate starts at a complex time for the EU with important challenges ahead for the health, security, and economic stability of our European Union. We believe that dialogue, open collaboration, and meaningful involvement of patient communities in health policy and practice will help achieve better health for all Europeans, with all its positive impacts on society, economy, and sustainability.” 

EPF will work with MEPs towards policies for better, safer and more effective medical products, equitable access to healthcare, empowered and visible patient communities, and partnerships that drive impactful changes. The Patient Organisations’ Manifesto serves as a roadmap for achieving these goals and its principles will continue to guide patient organisations’ participation in political dialogue and policy making to overcome every challenge and use every opportunity for better health for all Europeans.