IDF Europe January Newsletter

Dear IDF Europe Community, 

As IDF Europe Regional Chair for the biennium 2023-2024, and on behalf of all Board Members, I am delighted to wish you all a good start to the new year. 

2023 marks the last year of the celebrations of the Centenary of the Discovery of Insulin. As we continue remembering this incredible breakthrough and the milestones achieved over the past 100 years, we enter the new year with a strong commitment to keep fostering action on improving diabetes care and especially ensuring equal and uninterrupted access to quality diabetes medicines, supplies, technologies, care and education for all people living with diabetes (PwD) across Europe. 

Our projects and programmes for 2023 and 2024 will build on our priority objectives aimed at improving access to care, health outcomes and quality of life for PwD, increasing their voice, and reducing diabetes prevalence. 

To leverage the new EU Parliament Diabetes Resolution adopted in November 2022, we will expand our activities in collaboration with the MEP Interest Group on Diabetes – MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD group) and we will work closely with our partners and member associations in and outside the EU to advocate for concrete action on diabetes and key policies across the entire region and at national level. We will also convene a High-Level Summit later in the year, which will bring together EU, pan-European and national stakeholders and policy-makers to develop a new roadmap for diabetes prevention and care in the Europe region. 

In the coming years, a substantial part of our activity will focus on strengthening our network of member associations by facilitating collaborations and knowledge-sharing across countries in order to maximise the impact of our members’ activities. 

To play a key role and represent the perspective of PwD in the innovations and scientific breakthroughs of the next 100 years, we will continue participating in EU-funded research projects and we will seek new opportunities to foster innovation and advances in diabetes care and treatment. 

As in previous years, our existing youth programmes, the Youth Leadership Camps/Labs and our network of Youth Advocates, YOURAH, and the newly established platform of people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) will be further strengthened. This will be essential to ensure that PwD are empowered to raise diabetes awareness and advocate for the rights of the diabetes community. 

As we enter this new term, I am looking forward to working together with the new Board and the IDF Europe community towards new milestones and achievements to improve the lives of all PwD and those at risk. 

IDF Europe Regional Chair,

Professor Nebojsa M. Lalic

Support for people living with diabetes affected by the war in Ukraine

Since the beginning of the conflict, as well as calling for an immediate end to it, IDF Europe has been working with our international partners and member associations on ensuring the delivery of medicines, devices and supplies that PwD require in Ukraine and in the countries in which Ukrainian citizens seek refuge.  

IDF Europe also developed the platform "Connect Solidarity". This gathers information to help Ukrainians living with diabetes understand what support they can get in the country where they are displaced, and how to get it, as well as resources that can be used by HCPs and people in need of medical or psychological support living with diabetes and/or other conditions. Currently, information for the platform also highlights the fundraising initiatives endorsed by IDF Europe to support the delivery of medical supplies to PwD in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, as well as our own fundraising efforts to support the work of our member associations that are offering assistance and support to Ukrainian refugees living with diabetes.

To learn about our initiative, how you can donate, join, or support our efforts, visit our dedicated website: Connect Solidarity

WHO: “Understanding the obstacles faced by Ukrainian refugees in Romania”

In 2022, the Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit at WHO/Europe and the WHO Country Office in Romania, supported by the Ministry of Health, the Presidential Administration, the National Institute of Public Health and other stakeholders, conducted a five-month study on the health service needs and gaps in Romania, from the perspective of Ukrainian refugees. 

The information gathered will enable Romanian health authorities to take a people-centred approach in their response to the health needs of Ukrainian refugees. Other countries, such as Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia are already following the same model. 

Key study findings have highlighted the particular support needed by new mothers who are often left alone; language as a key barrier to accessing health services; difficulties in accessing healthcare during the first months; and the importance of sharing experiences among fellow refugees for feeling more settled and confident in seeking health services. 

Read more here 

As IDF Europe, we are aware of the crucial importance for Ukrainian refugees living with diabetes to understand the health system in the country where they are, and to have full access to all the diabetes medicines, technologies, supplies and care they require to optimally manage their condition. To monitor the situation of Ukrainian PwD in the countries where they are displaced, we receive regular updates from our member associations regarding the status of access to diabetes care as well as their initiatives aimed at supporting Ukrainian refugees living with diabetes. 

Introduction of the “subspecialty of diabetology” for internists and paediatricians in Greece

On January 16, the Greek Ministry of Health issued the implementing provisions of the law that, in 2018, approved the “Subspecialty of Diabetology” for internists and paediatricians in Greece. The new two-year curriculum will be implemented in 22 officially approved Diabetes Centres across the country. 

This achievement stems from the long-standing advocacy effort of IDF Europe’s member associations in Greece, the Hellenic Diabetes Association (HDA), the Hellenic Federation of Diabetes (ELODI) and the Panhellenic Federation of People with Diabetes (POSSASDIA) and it represents one of the most important milestones for the care of PwD in the country. 

The introduction of the subspecialty of diabetology is expected to bring improvements in the management of PwD in Greece by increasing the availability of internists and paediatricians with a specific training on diabetes, who will be able to share their specialised knowledge and expertise with other physicians and the diabetes community. 

IDF Europe Centenary of Insulin Campaign – Year 3

As we enter the last year of our Centenary of Insulin Campaign, we continue to celebrate this incredible breakthrough and we wish to raise awareness of the need for further improvements to address the challenges that PwD continue to face to achieve the best possible health outcomes and quality of life. 

In 2023, we will conduct a range of initiatives and events to further deliver on the objectives of the campaign. In particular, we will seek to ensure that the new Diabetes Resolution adopted by the European Parliament in November 2022 translates into concrete action, and we will convene a High-Level Summit later in the year, bringing together EU, pan-European and national stakeholders and policy-makers to develop a new roadmap for diabetes prevention and care in the Europe region. 

Read more here 

IDF Europe Twinning Programme

We are delighted to announce that the IDF Europe twinning programme will continue in 2023. We are currently supporting six of our member associations to establish strategic collaborations and work on common projects that can help them grow their capacity by building on their national expertise. 

We are looking forward to seeing each collaboration take shape and to helping our members maximise the impact of their activities by connecting, giving and receiving support.   

If your association should like to be considered for the twinning programme, please contact [email protected]. 

Learn more about the programme on our website.

We are hiring!

IDF Europe is looking for a Junior Communications Officer, a Project and Administration Officer and a Policy Intern to join the team! 

To learn more about the positions, visit our website here. 

Interested candidates should send a curriculum vitae and a cover letter to [email protected]. 

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, therefore sending applications as soon as possible is advisable. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.  

The successful applicants are expected to start as soon as possible. 

Leonard Thompson Day 2023

On January 23, 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy living with diabetes, became the first person to receive a successful insulin injection. Since that day, the pancreatic extract discovered by Frederick G. Banting and Charles H. Best has saved millions of lives and led to a century of research and innovation that improved the lives of those with diabetes. 

Today, the process of innovation continues to evolve, with an increasingly greater involvement of PwD in the design of new medicines and solutions. Nevertheless, the many innovations that have come out over the past 100 years have not improved health outcomes and quality of life for all. Great inequalities persist, between and within countries. 

Future innovations will be crucial to tackle current challenges with new treatment models and better performing and more personalised approaches. Without adequate access, their impact will remain limited though. 

Read more here

International Day of Education 2023

January 24 marked the International Day of Education – this year’s theme was “To invest in people, prioritise education”.  

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that education is a fundamental human right for everyone. However, to this day, inequalities in access to inclusive and equitable quality education still persist and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our societies. 

Access to education is a key social determinant of health and a modifiable risk factor for developing T2D and diabetes-related complications. This is shaped by the distribution of resources and is linked to health inequalities and avoidable differences in health status within and between countries. 

We must prioritise education to reduce inequalities and to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals! 

Swedish Presidency presents its six-month programme

On January 1, 2023, Sweden took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (see its programme here), with a focus on three priority areas: 

• Security – prioritisation of continued economic and military support for Ukraine, as well as support for Ukraine’s path towards membership of the EU. 
• Competitiveness – a sound and open economy based on free competition, private investment and successful digitalisation. 
• Green & energy transition – tackling high and volatile energy prices while making the transition to a resource-efficient, fossil-free future. 

We welcome the Swedish Presidency’s programme which reflects some of the pressing challenges health systems and people face today. We also commend the Presidency’s focus on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) to enable effective cross-border data sharing and facilitate care delivery and strengthen research, innovation and policymaking as well as on the framework of the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe to ensure uninterrupted access to high-quality affordable medicines and medical devices in events of health crises and beyond. 

Read more here 

New study by WHO/Europe finds that digital health is not accessible by everyone equally

WHO/Europe’s new study finds that persistent differences in access to, use of, and engagement with, digital health technologies exist across all communities and areas in Europe. The study underlines that people with poor health outcomes are the most negatively affected by inequalities in access, struggling to avail themselves of the necessary digital health tools. 

For PwD, achieving the best possible health outcomes and enjoying the highest possible quality of life is, to a big extent, contingent upon their ability to access digital health tools and technologies on an uninterrupted basis.  

IDF Europe welcomes WHO/Europe’s call to embed equity into the development and integration of digital technology in health and call on governments to develop effective solutions to monitor and evaluate digital health policies and interventions that leave no one behind. 

Read more here

European Parliament sets up a new sub-committee on public health

On January 18, 2023, the Conference of Presidents in the European Parliament agreed on the establishment of a sub-committee on public health. While the talks on the subcommittee’s mandate are still ongoing, the new framework will give more space for discussion on the topics of public health and health systems, following the COVID-19 pandemic.  

This move represents a positive signal for PwD as it highlights the renewed political will of the European Parliament to have concerted collective action on public health challenges. 

MEP István Ujhelyi, MMD member and the founder of the European Health Union Network initiative, welcomed the creation of the new sub-committee in ENVI. ‘The creation of the public health sub-committee within ENVI is a big step and a clear signal that MEPs mean business when they talk about the European Health Union. More effective policy action, coordination across disciplines and multi-stakeholder coalitions are needed to tackle the rising health challenges of today. The European Parliament is ready to do more for PwD and other NCDs in every region and corner of Europe,’ says MEP Ujhelyi.  

Read more here

WHO Executive Board to discuss progress made and next steps towards achieving universal health coverage by 2030

The 152nd session of the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation (WHO) takes place on January 30–February 7, 2023. 

September 2023 will mark the halfway point of the timeline for reaching the SDGs and the United Nations General Assembly will convene a series of high-level meetings to review the progress achieved and put in place necessary actions towards the SDGs. One of the meetings will focus on the Universal Health Coverage (UHC). WHO published an updated report on Reorienting health systems to primary health care as a resilient foundation for universal health coverage and preparations for a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on universal health coverage. 

In its report, WHO states that 90% of essential interventions for UHC can be delivered through primary healthcare (PHC) that can enable integrated access to a full range of quality health services and products to improve prevention and risk-reduction approaches as well as people’s quality of life and well-being. The report also adds that UHC and PHC could be significantly scaled up to reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes. 

Read more here

WHO releases an update on policy options to curb the rise in diabetes and other NCDs

Ahead of the 152nd session of the Executive Board meeting (January 31-February 7), WHO released a draft updated menu of policy options and cost-effective interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. 

The report shows that national action on NCDs over the past two decades has been inadequate to reduce NCD burden against the nine voluntary targets of the global action plan and target 3.4 of the SDGs. 

Globally, the decline in mortality between 2000 and 2019 was achieved for chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, whereas diabetes mortality increased by 3%. 

For a complex and multi-factorial disease such as diabetes whole-of-government and whole-of-society policy interventions are more than ever needed. 

Read more here

ISLET - Connecting young people with Type 1 Diabetes through science

IDF Europe is part of the EU Horizon 2020-funded project “ISLET – Advancing Innovative Stem Cell-based Therapy for Diabetes in Europe”. The project aims to build and implement a new and innovative programme for producing and marketing human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) for the treatment of people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). 

Within this project, we initiated a dialogue between scientists and young PwD to explore the best ways of broadening understanding of scientific research among the general public. As part of this, we produced a blog post which lists the main questions young PwD asked of the scientists, both looking at the potential of the ISLET project as well as the scientists’ own interests and motivation when conducting research. 

Read the blog here 

Sports & Diabetes camp and project handbook: “Tackling Diabetes with Sport – Guide to Type 1 Diabetes and Sport”

The Sports and Diabetes Erasmus+ project aims to foster participation of children and youths living with T1D in sport. One of the project’s key outputs is a comprehensive handbook for older youths, their parents, teachers and coaches, and a comic book for younger children, as well as in-depth content available on the Sports and Diabetes website. 

One of the last activities of the project was a children’s camp, held in Split, Croatia at the end of November 2022, with the participation of six young advocates living with T1D, members of the IDF Europe YOURAH network, acting as mentors. 

The purpose of the camp was to do a final test to validate the handbook’s usefulness and fine-tune its content. Some 33 children and seven coaches participated in a mix of daily physical activities and educational sessions. The Youth Mentor Team played a very important role, bringing in their own, distinct experiences of managing glycaemic control when practicing sport. 

The project and handbook were then showcased during a highly successful panel discussion at the IDF Global Congress in Lisbon, last December, and they will be available on the Sports and Diabetes website: https://sportsanddiabetes.eu/  

Read more here

MMD welcomes on board a new member – MEP Franc Bogovi?

We are delighted to announce that MEP Franc Bogovi? (EPP, Slovenia) joined his fellow parliamentarians on the path of combatting the diabetes challenge and improving the health and well-being of Europeans living with the condition.  

Recently diagnosed with T2D himself, MEP Bogovi? strongly supported the new Diabetes Resolution and, in his speech during the debate on the Resolution, rightly referred to diabetes as a silent killer.  

We look forward to working closely together with Mr Bogovi? at EU and national levels to step up prevention and risk-reductions efforts, improve the management of diabetes and its complications and advance diabetes treatment for all EU citizens, irrespective of the country, region or socio-economic background they come from. 

Read more here

International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments of Diabetes (ATTD) 

Berlin and online, February 22-25, 2023 | For more information, visit the website here 

DIA Europe 2023 – Advancing Health Priorities 

Basel, March 22-24, 2023 | For more information, visit the website here 

16th International Primary Care Diabetes Europe Conference (PCDE) – New challenges for Primary Care in Diabetes Management 

Barcelona, June 15-17, 2023 | For more information, visit the website here 

Ninth edition of the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza (ESWI) Influenza Conference  

Valencia, September 17-20, 2023 | For more information, visit the website here 

European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 59th Annual Meeting 

Hamburg, October 2-6, 2023 | For more information, visit the website here 

International Diabetes Federation (IDF) 2023 Virtual Congress - Diabetes Complications and Diabetes in Crisis

Online, December 4-7, 2023 | For more information, visit the website here

IDF EUROPE IS NOW ALSO ON INSTAGRAM!

Make sure to follow us to stay up to date with our latest news and events: 

Do you want to know more about IDF Europe's news and events? Please subscribe to this newsletter on LinkedIn and/or our email newsletter!

[email protected] 

www.idf-europe.org