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Europe’s Choice: Investing in sustainable health systems Brussels, Belgium

21 April 2026 | 10:00 - 17:00 CET | Brussels, Belgium

European health and social care systems are under intense pressure. An ageing population and increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases create huge costs for our economies and societies.

At a time when health budgets are strained, public finances are under pressure, the health workforce crisis is deepening, and Europe faces unprecedented geopolitical challenges, we need to rethink healthcare.

Join us on 21 April to discuss how we can break the cycle, reduce avoidable long-term costs, and improve the lives of European patients.
Discover the programme: 

  • 10:00 – 10:10 | Introduction and welcome remarks

    • Nathalie Moll, Director General, EFPIA 

  • 10:10 – 10:25 | Keynote speech – State of Europe’s Health Systems 
    • Francesca Colombo, Head of the Health Division, OECD

  • 10:25 – 11:30 | Panel I: Rethinking Health Systems for an ageing population

    • Intro: Anders Ekholm, Senior Advisor, Swedish Institute for Future Studies

    • Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, WHO Europe, Director of the Division of Country Health Polices and Systems 

    • Angela Bradshaw, Director for Research, Alzheimer Europe 

    • Eszter Kovacs, Vice-President, European Health Management Association / Head of Health Workforce Planning Knowledge Centre, Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University

  • 11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee Break

  • 12:00 – 13:00 | Panel II: Beating cancer from the start

    • Intro: Zorana Maravic, Chief Executive Officer, Digestive Cancers Europe 

    • Aiga Balode, Latvian Deputy Secretary of State, MoH 
    • Madalina Iamandei, Executive Director, All Can 

    • Elisabetta Zanon, Chief Executive Officer, European Cancer Organisation
  • 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break

  • 14:00 – 15:00 | Panel III: The promise of cardiometabolic Health Checks

    • Cecilia Marianne Linde, European Society of Cardiology, President Elect 

    • UlrichJanssen, Patient Advocate, Global Heart Hub 

    • Euan Woodward, Executive Director, European Association for the Study of Obesity 

  • 15:00 – 16:15 | Panel IV: How to fund future health systems? Innovative budgeting models and financing approaches

    • Nathalie Moll, Director General, EFPIA
    • Stefan Eichwalder, Deputy Director-General, Austrian Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
    • Pedro Facon, INAMI, Belgium
    • César Hernández, Director General of Common Portfolio and Pharmacy, Spanish Ministry of Health
    • Felicitas Riedl, Director for Innovation and Competitiveness, European Investment Bank 
  • 16:15 – 16:30 | Closing remarks