IDF Europe newsletter – March 2026

ADVANCING WOMEN’S RIGHT TO HEALTH

Unmet needs in women’s health still undermine their universal right to health and require urgent and concrete action. This was brought into sharp focus last month during International Women’s Day, under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action.”

Too often, women’s health needs are overlooked. Differences in how health conditions affect women are not consistently reflected in research, diagnosis or care. Medical systems have long been shaped around male-centric data and assumptions, leaving critical gaps in understanding and supporting women’s health. These gaps
have tangible, real-world consequences.

For example, women living with diabetes face challenges linked to both biological and social factors. Hormonal changes across the life course, from puberty and menstruation to pregnancy and menopause, can significantly affect blood glucose patterns, insulin sensitivity and treatment responses, making diabetes management more complex. In addition, gender-related aspects – including caregiving responsibilities, socio-economic inequalities and differences in how symptoms are recognised and acted upon, including a greater likelihood of their being overlooked or misattributed – can have a further impact on access to timely diagnosis and care. Yet clinical protocols, care delivery and
research often fail to adequately reflect these realities, and women remain underrepresented in trials and clinical studies. As a result:

• Women are diagnosed, on average, 4.5 years later than men.
• Women living with diabetes have a 13 % higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with men.
• Women face a 30 % greater risk of cardiovascular mortality than men.
• Women living with diabetes are about one-third more likely to develop depression.

Closing the sex- and gender gap requires more than awareness; it demands targeted policy action.

A key opportunity for progress lies in the
European Parliament’s FEMM Committee’s own-initiative report on gender inequalities in health. The report recognises that decades of male-centric medical research have created gaps across the healthcare cycle, from clinical trials and drug development to diagnostics and treatment, and calls for a more inclusive, sex- and gender-sensitive approach to health policy and research. This includes, for example, personalised diagnostic and treatment strategies that take into account hormonal changes and pregnancy-related risks, a dedicated women’s health research agenda, and the importance of designing and testing medical devices for
diverse anatomical characteristics across populations.

Among the voices driving this change is MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen, Member of the MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes Interest Group (MMD) and shadow rapporteur for the SANT opinion on the FEMM report, who emphasises:

“Diabetes does not affect everyone equally. Women face distinct biological challenges linked to hormonal changes throughout their lives, yet these realities are still insufficiently reflected in research, clinical trials and care. Combined with persistent gender biases, this leads to delayed diagnoses and poorer health outcomes. Closing these gaps requires a more inclusive approach, one that places women’s experiences at the heart of decision-making and strengthens sex- and gender-sensitive health policy. The European Parliament’s ongoing work on gender inequalities in health is a key opportunity to drive this change and help build health systems that are more equitable, responsive and fit for all.”

IDF EUROPE, NEWS, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

IDF Europe TEAM Meeting and Regional Council 2026

On March 27–28, we held our TEAM Meeting (Together Everyone Achieves More) bringing together member associations, partners and representatives from other health organisations. Key sessions explored the national implementation of the EU Safe Hearts Plan, the use of AI in association management, the potential and safety of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and existing and potential collaborations across chronic disease communities.

The programme featured award lectures from the co-winners of the IDF Europe Advocate Award 2025, Davor Skeledzija and Marcello Grussu, recognising their contributions to diabetes advocacy. The event concluded with a networking dinner, where IDF Europe presented its Exceptional Partnership Award to Maurizio Guidi, from Eli Lilly, and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Portuguese Diabetes Association (APDP), with a commemorative award received by Prof. Boavida.

On March 29, we met again with our member associations for our annual Regional Council where we reviewed our 2025 activities and outlined our priorities for 2026. The meeting also provided a platform for member associations to present their national initiatives, exchange ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration to strengthen the impact of the IDF Europe network.

IDF Europe Symposium at ATTD 2026

During this year’s ATTD 2026, we hosted a symposium on how innovation and early intervention can improve outcomes for people living with, or at risk of, diabetes. The event focused on three key areas: early-stage type 1 diabetes (T1D) detection and monitoring, including the role of language and communication; protecting heart health through effective diabetes prevention and management; and the use of CGMs in preventing and managing diabetes and obesity.

New publication on T1D screening

IDF Europe Expert Day report:
advancing diabetes prevention and care

Save the date: IDF Europe Symposium at EASD

MEMBER NEWS

The diabetes community loses an esteemed member in Lyudmila Ivanivna Petrenko

YOUTH PLATFORM

Applications for the IDF Europe YLL 2026 are now closed

We look forward to meeting our successful applicants soon!

HEALTH RELATED NEWS

EPF | Recommendations for the trilogue negotiations on the Critical Medicines Act

As trilogue negotiations on the Critical Medicines Act (CMA) are ongoing at EU level, the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) has published a set of recommendations, including the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience throughout CMA implementation and effective EU joint procurement systems to improve the availability, affordability and accessibility of medicines across the EU. Read more

Member States’ initiative to reinstate operating grants for health NGOs under EU4Health

Backed by several EU Member States, France launched an initiative to reinstate operating grants for non-governmental organisations under the EU4Health Programme from 2026 onwards. Operating grants and sustainable funding are essential to ensure civil society organisations can continue bringing the voices and lived experiences of people, including those living with diabetes, into EU health policymaking. Read more

Nature Health, op-ed by Hans Kluge | “A healthy population is a strategic advantage”

In a new op-ed published in Nature Health, WHO Europe Regional Director, Dr. Hans Kluge, argues that health is a strategic investment underpinning security, economic growth and demographic resilience. He highlights that chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers drive premature death and lost productivity in Europe. With ageing populations and rising pressures, he stresses that investing in prevention, primary care and healthier living is essential to sustain economies and ensure resilient societies. Read more

EMA | Insulin supply update

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a notice regarding the discontinuation of certain Eli Lilly insulin presentations containing human insulin, insulin lispro and insulin glargine in selected countries. The specific products affected and the timelines for their withdrawal differ across EU/EEA countries. All discontinuations are expected to occur before Q2 2027, after which the affected insulin presentations will no longer be available. Read more

UNDERSTANDING DIABETES

EU RESEARCH PROJECTS

ASSESS DHT updates

OPEN CALL
Consortium partners are seeking specialist input to test and help refine the project’s assessment framework for DHT in Europe. We encourage experts in DHT development and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies to join our expert group.

SURVEY FOR PATIENTS AND CLINICIANS
Consortium partners are conducting a European survey to increase understanding of how people with lived experience and HCPs can meaningfully contribute to the evaluation of DHT.

SURVEY FOR HTA AND DECISION MAKERS
Consortium partners are also conducting a parallel survey targeting professionals involved in HTA agencies, payer and insurance organisations, ministries and regulatory bodies, hospital-based HTA units and policy and decision-making committees to explore current practices, barriers and opportunities for improving patient and clinical involvement in the evaluation of DHT.

DigiCare4You updates

IDF Europe is proud to be part of the DigiCare4You Horizon 2020 project, which aims to improve early prevention and management of T2D and hypertension (HTN).

Join the DigiCare4You closing event!

There are still a few available spots for participants to join the event. If you’re interested, please send an email to izabell.thunstrom@idf-europe.org for more information.

Interview with Christina Pelekanou

Participant interview with Stella Vlachou

In another interview, Stella Vlachou, a DigiCare4You participant from Greece living with intermediate hyperglycaemia, shares her experiences. She talks about her motivation to join the programme, the surprises and challenges she faced and the positive changes she has experienced. Stella also reflects on her hopes for the future and how the programme has helped her take concrete steps towards better health.

READINGS ON DIABETES

Readings on Diabetes, presented to IDF Europe by Angelo Argenteri, MD, Maria Stella de Sabata, MA, and Andrea Ascoli Marchetti, MD, is a journey through the major diabetes milestones, one of the oldest and still most widespread diseases, with anecdotes, stories, historical facts and a very rich iconography.

Each month, the IDF Europe Newsletter presents a chapter from Readings on Diabetes, which can be downloaded in full here.

13. The Leopard

Set during the time of Italy’s unification, “The Leopard” by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa tells the story of a Sicilian noble family facing a period of major change. As old traditions begin to fade and a new social order emerges, the novel captures this shift through the famous line: “If we want everything to stay as it is, everything must change.”

Alongside its historical story, the novel also includes a powerful and often overlooked element: the impact of diabetes. Through two characters, Tomasi di Lampedusa describes the serious complications of the
disease, including diabetes foot, at a time when little was known about how to treat it.

By bringing together literature, history and medicine, this chapter shows how stories from the past can help us better understand the human side of living with diabetes.

UPCOMING EVENTS ACROSS EUROPE

DigiCare4You final event
Brussels, April 29, 2026 | For more information, contact izabell.thunstrom@idf-europe.org

European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 62nd Annual Meeting 
Milan, September 28 – October 2, 2026 | For more information, click here

IDF Europe Symposium at EASD 2026
Milan, October 1, 2026 | More information will be available soon

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