Dec 19, 2025
SAFE and the European Stroke Organisation welcome the publication of the European Commission’s EU Cardiovascular Health Plan. For the first time, the EU has recognised the urgent need for coordinated action on cardiovascular health, the leading cause of mortality and disability in Europe.
The Plan includes many positive commitments for stroke, including a strong focus on prevention, national cardiovascular health plans by 2027, rehabilitation, innovation and tackling inequalities. These measures have real potential to improve outcomes for millions of people.
In addition, this week the OECD published its report ‘The State of Cardiovascular Health in the European Union’. It confirmed that stroke remains Europe’s second leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease and a major contributor to acquired long-term disability.
It also highlighted that stroke prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and long-term support remain fragmented and unequally available across the EU.
Our joint response makes clear that for the Plan, framed as the ‘Safe Hearts’ plan, to deliver meaningful impact, stroke must be explicitly integrated across all pillars of action. We highlight key areas where further ambition is needed, including access to specialised stroke units, emergency pathways, structured secondary prevention, rehabilitation, life after stroke and research.
SAFE and ESO will work with EU institutions, Member States and partners to ensure that stroke receives the prioritisation it deserves.
Read our full response
Nov 28, 2025
We are pleased to announce that the programme outline for the European Life After Stroke Forum 2026 in Stockholm is now live on our website. Our scientific committee has worked hard to develop a programme that is filled with the latest research and best practice, with the voices of people with lived experience at its heart.
Programme topics include life after stroke in Sweden, the importance of physical environment in life after stroke, fatigue and understanding the mind after stroke.
Please click to view
Nov 27, 2025
Following our successful EU Parliament event, ‘Closing the gaps in stroke care: A call to action for Europe’, we are pleased to share a summary report and video highlights capturing the key discussions and messages from the day.
The event brought together MEPs, policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, people with lived experience and advocates to call for stronger EU and national action on stroke prevention, treatment and long-term support.
Watch messages from Members of the European Parliament:
MEP Romana Jerković (S&D, Croatia)
MEP Adam Jarubas (EPP, Poland)
More information about the event:
Download the event summary report
View event summary video
Together, these materials capture a growing consensus across Europe, that stroke must be recognised as a central priority in the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan and across all national health strategies.
Oct 29, 2025
On World Stroke Day, we are shining a light on one of our European research projects focused on innovation in stroke.
Every minute counts when someone has a stroke. Yet too often patients lose precious time being transported to a hospital that cannot deliver the specialist care they need.
The EU-funded research project POC4Triage aims to change this. It brings together leading European hospitals, researchers and innovators to develop four portable, artificial intelligence-enabled medical devices to support a faster and more accurate diagnosis of stroke and other emergencies.
One of these devices is the Strokepointer™, developed by two Dutch organisations, Amsterdam AMC and Trianect BV. This device can detect a major stroke in under three minutes, right in the ambulance, by analysing brain activity and using artificial intelligence. Under the POC4Triage project, a new disposable EEG patch placed on the forehead below the hairline, is being developed to make stroke detection even faster, easier and more comfortable for patients.
Over the next two years, the patch will be tested and validated across several European hospitals and ambulance services, with the long-term ambition of equipping every ambulance in Europe with this technology.
The POC4Triage project also includes three additional devices:
- A diagnosis and monitoring patch to predict cardiorespiratory diseases
- A functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) device to monitor brain blood flow to detect strokes
- A handheld blood test to identify stroke type
All devices will connect through a ‘Device Hospital Connectivity Platform’, ensuring that all vital data reaches hospital teams instantly, so that they can make faster and better informed treatment decisions.
“Time is brain. The POC4Triage project will give ambulance professionals and doctors improved tools to make faster and more accurate treatment decisions,” says SAFE’s Director General, Arlene Wilkie. “This technology represents a vital step toward improving stroke outcomes across Europe.”
For more information, please contact research@safestroke.eu or visit the POC4Triage website https://poc4triage.eu/
POC4Triage has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement No 101137358.
Oct 16, 2025
This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its latest Global Status Report on Neurology, revealing that stroke is the leading neurological disorder contributing to health loss worldwide.
In addition, the report outlines the direct costs of 24 brain disorders, including neurological and mental health conditions, exceeded US$ 1.7 trillion, growing by 3.5% annually since 2000. Stroke and dementia account for a large share of this burden. These figures exclude indirect costs such as lost productivity and informal care, which are likely to be substantial.
Despite these figures, stroke care remains fragmented and under-resourced across prevention, acute treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support. We need urgent coordinated action to address this gap.
The Stroke Action Plan for Europe (2018-2030), developed by SAFE and the European Stroke Organisation, provides an evidence-based framework and recommendations for countries to improve their stroke prevention, treatment and post-stroke care.
At the same time, the European Commission is developing the first ever EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, which represents a milestone in the EU’s approach to chronic disease prevention and management.
This represents a seminal moment for stroke in Europe. If we combine the new Cardiovascular Health Plan with the Stroke Action Plan for Europe, we have a real opportunity to drive national action and deliver measurable improvements for people across the continent.
Arlene Wilkie, Director General of SAFE says “We owe it to the citizens of Europe to prevent as many strokes as possible, and to ensure that those who experience a stroke receive the care, rehabilitation and support they need to rebuild their lives no matter where they live.”
