The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is a crucial instrument for shaping Europe’s healthcare landscape, driving innovation, and enhancing patient outcomes. With the upcoming review and revision of the MFF, COCIR emphasizes the need to rethink EU funding strategies to address the evolving healthcare challenges of the 21st century.
Driving Healthcare Transformation Through Strategic EU Funding
Europe faces a critical moment where healthcare systems are under pressure from aging populations, non-communicable diseases, and post-pandemic recovery needs. Coupled with rapid digital transformation and climate change, these challenges require a coordinated, strategic funding approach. This Position Paper outlines COCIR’s strategic recommendations for optimizing EU funding to drive healthcare innovation, improve patient access, and enhance Europe’s global competitiveness.
1. Strategic Priorities for EU Healthcare Funding
Addressing Non-Communicable Diseases and Healthcare Preparedness
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases and cancers, are leading causes of death in Europe. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for better healthcare preparedness.
COCIR Recommendations
- Investing in early detection and personalized treatment through innovative medical technologies, including AI-enabled diagnostics, imaging solutions, and precision medicine.
- Expanding funding for digital health infrastructures to support remote care, chronic disease management, and telemedicine solutions.
- Allocating funds for strategic stockpiling of medical devices and supplies to enhance healthcare resilience against future pandemics and public health emergencies.
2. Digitizing Healthcare: Unlocking the Power of Data and AI
Challenges and Opportunities
Digital transformation is reshaping healthcare delivery, offering new opportunities for personalized care, operational efficiency, and improved patient outcomes. However, fragmented digital health systems and inconsistent data governance hinder the full potential of digital health.
COCIR Recommendations
- Investing in digital health infrastructures that support cross-border health data exchange under the European Health Data Space (EHDS) framework.
- Promoting the integration of AI and data analytics in healthcare delivery to enable predictive diagnostics, personalized treatments, and data-driven clinical decision-making.
- Supporting the adoption of interoperable digital health solutions that ensure secure and efficient data sharing while maintaining patient data privacy and security.
- Expanding EU funding for digital skills training to empower healthcare professionals with the necessary competencies to leverage AI and digital health tools.
3. Greening Healthcare for a Sustainable Future
Current Challenges
The European Green Deal emphasizes the need for sustainability across all sectors, including healthcare. Medical technologies contribute to environmental impact through energy consumption, waste generation, and material sourcing. To support the green transition, strategic investments are necessary to minimize the environmental footprint of healthcare systems.
COCIR Recommendations
- Supporting the development of eco-design medical technologies that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.
- Funding the circular economy by encouraging refurbishment, recycling, and sustainable waste management practices for medical devices.
- Promoting green procurement by integrating environmental sustainability criteria into public procurement guidelines for medical equipment.
- Accelerating research on alternative materials and sustainable manufacturing processes to enhance resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
4. Fostering Strategic Autonomy in Medical Technologies
Challenges and Opportunities
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, highlighting Europe’s dependency on non-EU countries for critical medical technologies and components. To ensure healthcare security and resilience, Europe must strengthen its strategic autonomy in medical technology manufacturing and innovation.
COCIR Recommendations
- Enhancing manufacturing capabilities in Europe by funding local production of medical devices, components, and critical raw materials.
- Supporting industrial innovation and competitiveness by investing in advanced manufacturing technologies, including automation, robotics, and AI-driven manufacturing systems.
- Ensuring supply chain resilience by promoting regional value chains and diversified sourcing strategies.
- Fostering international collaboration while maintaining reciprocity and strategic autonomy in global trade and procurement policies.
5. Streamlining EU Funding Mechanisms for Efficiency and Impact
Current Challenges
The fragmented EU funding landscape consists of multiple programs, including Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, EU4Health, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Overlapping objectives and complex application procedures create inefficiencies and access barriers for medical technology innovators, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
COCIR Recommendations
- Streamlining funding mechanisms by harmonizing application processes and simplifying administrative requirements.
- Encouraging long-term public-private partnerships to drive healthcare innovation and accelerate technology adoption.
- Enhancing alignment between funding programs to avoid duplication and maximize impact through synergistic actions.
- Ensuring fair participation of non-EU entities to promote global collaboration and access to cutting-edge research.
Transforming Healthcare Through Strategic Investments
COCIR is fully committed to collaborating with the European Commission, Member States, and healthcare stakeholders to leverage the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for transformative healthcare innovation. By implementing these strategic recommendations, the EU can:
- Enhance patient outcomes through personalized medicine, digital health solutions, and innovative medical technologies.
- Drive sustainability by greening healthcare infrastructures and supporting eco-design medical devices.
- Strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness and strategic autonomy in medical technologies.