Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champions were invited to present their views at two cardiovascular events held at the European Parliament in April.

The first of these, a workshop, hosted by MEP Aurelijus Veryga (ECR, Lithuania) and supported by the EU-funded project AIDAVA, was held on April 15^th, and aimed at securing a consensus amongst European cardiovascular patients on their healthcare data management preferences, including the use of AI applications for same.

The workshop brought together European patients from within the European Heart Network (EHN), an umbrella body for heart foundations and organisations in Europe (of which the Irish Heart Foundation is a member), along with, policymakers, researchers, and data managers to discuss data quality, trust and transparency within the European Health Data Space (EHDS).

The workshop culminated in the development of a Patient Call to Action, capturing key priorities this EHN patient community have for policymakers and stakeholders involved in the implementation of EHDS, including;

• Greater transparency, security and accountability
• Meaningful involvement in design and governance
• Improved communication and digital literacy
• Strong oversight and implementation at national level
• Individual control over personal health data
• The use of AI to enhance, not replace, human interaction in healthcare

This Call to Action reflects patients’ shared expectation that data systems must be implemented effectively across Member States to deliver tangible benefits in practice to patients.

The second event, held on April 24th, at the European Parliament, was a plenary session for the EHN Young Hearts group on the topic of, “Young hearts, healthy futures: engaging youth in shaping Europe’s cardiovascular health priorities”, as part of European Youth week. 

Moderated by the EHN, Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champion, Fiona Bardon, shared her story and experience of cardiovascular health care in Ireland, as part of a debate on why young people in Europe must be involved in shaping cardiovascular health policy.

The session involved discussions on multiple innovative ways in which cardiovascular care could expand its community focus, and underlined the importance of ensuring that youth perspectives are reflected in ongoing EU policy discussions, including the implementation of the European Cardiovascular Health Plan and preparations for the upcoming Council Recommendation on health checks.