The Cardiomyopathies Matter initiative celebrated its official launch on the 15th of November 2022 in the European Parliament. This high-level event marked the publication of the Cardiomyopathies Matter Roadmap and infographic.
The event hosted by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Juozas Olekas, with interventions from MEP Heart Group Co-Chairs Maria da Graca Carvalho and Brando Benifei, was an opportunity for European policymakers to learn more about the burden of cardiomyopathies, unmet needs and challenges in this group of diseases, and discuss policy recommendations for both EU decision-makers and national authorities. Amongst the participants and speakers were patient advocates, multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals, EU policymakers and industry representatives.
Key takeaways from the event are:
- The recognition at the EU level of the burden of cardiomyopathies on patients, families, health systems and societies.
- The call for a Cardiovascular Health Action Plan that take into account cardiomyopathies, both at the EU and at national level.
- The need to ensure that ongoing EU health legislation and initiatives take cardiomyopathies into account so as to assist Member States in tackling cardiomyopathies nationally.
- Concrete solutions to improve diagnosis and care in European countries, such as patient involvement in decision-making, holistic support for patients, efficient referral pathways to cardiologists with expertise in cardiomyopathies and regular cardiovascular health checks.
- The eagerness of the European cardiomyopathy community to carry on with the awareness-raising efforts started by the Cardiomyopathies Matter initiative.
A report summarizing the launch event is available for download here. You can also watch the recording of the launch event below: