Alessandro Gallina: JACARDI’s strength is in its approach

Actions targeting cardiovascular disease and diabetes are explicitly mentioned in President von der Leyen’s mission letter to the nominated Commissioner for Health, who has already committed to developing a European Cardiovascular Health Plan on his second day in office. Alessandro Gallina, Senior Policy Manager for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention at the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and member of JACARDI’s Stakeholder Advisory Board, sees this as an encouraging sign for building on JACARDI’s achievements in the future. He emphasises the importance of co-creating policies with vulnerable and marginalized populations to ensure sustainability and equity, and ensuring that policies are free from conflicts of interest, particularly from health-harming industries. Gallina believes JACARDI’s work can significantly advance health equity in Europe by identifying high-burden regions and driving targeted interventions.

How do you see JACARDI’s role in tackling cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and how is its mission aligned with EPHA’s?

JACARDI plays a critical role in addressing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes by emphasizing prevention strategies and coordinating cross-sectoral efforts. While these issues are high on the political agenda and impact everyone in Europe either directly or indirectly, JACARDI’s strength lies in its approach. Rather than addressing these two major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in isolation, JACARDI operates within a broader framework that tackles all NCDs (both preventable and non-preventable). This approach is evident in JACARDI’s strong collaboration with other Joint Actions, such as PreventNCD, and other European initiatives that aim to combat NCDs and improve overall health outcomes.

As a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Board, EPHA brings the expertise and perspectives of our diverse membership, which includes health NGOs, research institutions, and civil society organizations dedicated to enhancing public health through effective, sustainable, and evidence-driven policies. Through our involvement, we aim to provide valuable insights that all participants can leverage to advocate for robust EU policies focused on prevention and the root causes of these diseases, including the commercial and social determinants of health, areas where EPHA is particularly active.

How can JACARDI help in reducing health inequities across European regions?

JACARDI is committed to a sustainability-oriented approach that includes a strong co-creation process and a focus on understanding the disparities between European communities and healthcare systems, allowing for tailored, effective measures. Additionally, JACARDI holds significant potential to address health inequities. By emphasizing data collection and the sharing of best practices, JACARDI can help identify the most affected societal and geographical regions and promote targeted interventions. EPHA, through its advocacy and policy work, supports these efforts by pushing for EU resources to be allocated to high-burden areas, ultimately reducing these disparities. Together, we can make substantial strides towards health equity across Europe.

What are the critical next steps for Europe in addressing the dual burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and what role can civil society play in this?

Europe must prioritize structured public health policies that focus on both prevention and equity. Comprehensive EU-wide initiatives are needed to address lifestyle and environmental factors, with a particular emphasis on regulating products from health-harming industries, including tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy foods, and the drivers of climate change. A key action of this is Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, a groundbreaking initiative that has achieved much while setting the stage for further action. In the mission letter from President von der Leyen to the nominated Commissioner for Health, actions targeting cardiovascular disease and diabetes are explicitly mentioned. We hope and expect these actions to build on what the Beating Cancer Plan has initiated, and the outputs of JACARDI represent a significant step in this direction.

Civil society plays a crucial role in advocating for these changes and mobilizing communities to inform policymakers. EPHA, for example, is actively engaged in the EU policy process, as co-coordinator of the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance, providing evidence-based recommendations and facilitating civil society participation to keep public health at the forefront of the EU agenda.

What are the key outcomes for EPHA from JACARDI’s General Assembly in Paris?

For EPHA, the primary takeaway from this meeting would be a strengthened alignment with JACARDI on goals related to prevention and the reduction of health inequities. I learned a lot in these three days and I hope to gain even deeper insights on how we can further support JACARDI’s work while ensuring our members are actively involved in providing feedback on JACARDI’s pilot initiatives. Additionally, we aim to use these successful cases to shape improved EU policies. This alignment will not only enhance JACARDI’s impact but also reinforce EPHA’s commitment to building a healthier, more equitable Europe.

Alessandro Gallina is focused on promoting effective and equitable policies to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through a science-based approach. With a background in biology and a doctorate in medical science from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Alessandro has devoted his time in academia to understanding NCDs, their causes and treatments, as underlined by his published articles. As a firm believer in the axiom that prevention is key, Alessandro moved to the public health sector and joined the Directorate General for Health (DG SANTE) of the European Commission in Luxembourg. He currently serves as a Senior Policy Manager for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention at the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA).

Learn more about EPHA here and connect on LinkedIn here.