Debate: Prevention, management and better care of diabetes in the EU on the occasion of World Diabetes Day
Date: MONDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 2022
Speaker: Stella Kyriakides
Language: EN

Last week we marked World Diabetes Day, and this gives us an opportunity each year to shine a light on diabetes and to relook and examine our efforts, to identify what we need to do better, to prevent, to educate and to raise awareness and to listen to patients and all stakeholders. But we all know that this is not a responsibility that we should be doing just one day a year. So I’m delighted to be part of today’s discussion, and I welcome the European Parliament’s resolution on diabetes. This resolution is an important signal to European citizens and of course to all diabetes patients. Diabetes cannot be seen as only one disease. It is also a dangerous multiplier. It is important to address the risks of developing diabetes or even having high blood sugar levels, including through nutrition and physical activity. Diabetes, we know, increases the risks of other conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke. And those with diabetes run a more serious risk of serious disease when affected by COVID. Diabetes puts a heavy economic strain on health budgets, at about 9% of the EU health expenditure in 2019. But let’s look at the positive side and let’s see what can be done. The burden of type—2 diabetes can be reduced through healthy lifestyles, through better diets, through physical activity, through not smoking and avoiding alcohol use. We need to help citizens live healthy lives with healthy minds and healthy bodies. And this is in order to ensure healthy futures. We need to help them to make healthy choices. The ‘Healthier Together’ EU non—communicable diseases initiative aims to do exactly this. This has a budget for 2022 of EUR 156 million, and through this initiative, we are helping Member States to identify and to implement actions to reduce the burden of non—communicable diseases. We are financing joint actions that address risk factors related to diabetes and of course other non—communicable diseases. Data on diabetes and prediabetes is often lacking and we’re working to fill this gap. To do this, we’re financing a feasibility study to assess the possibility for the collection of data on non—communicable diseases, and this will start with diabetes as the pilot area. We are financing research to better understand diabetes and to answer important questions such as how can we prevent the development of type—2 diabetes? Or how can we replace insulin for the treatment of diabetes type 1? How can we help those with diabetes in the self—management of their disease? Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe – through the innovative medicines initiative that partners with the pharmaceutical industry – enable this research. Ladies and gentlemen, on World Diabetes Day, I called on Member States and all stakeholders to collaborate, to work together to improve the lives of all Europeans living with diabetes. With the actions under the EU4Health programme, we will support Member States, patient groups and health professionals, and I want to thank you for the ongoing support of this Parliament for EU4Health. But more importantly, we can deliver concrete benefits to all diabetes patients and we can strengthen prevention across the EU. Together, I firmly believe we are able to build healthy societies and we are able to look towards a healthier future for all.