THE VALUE OF INTEGRATED CARE
Welcome to our September newsletter! This past month we have been active across many projects and events. On September 18, we held our Symposium at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Vienna, where we highlighted the urgent need to advance integrated care to improve health outcomes and quality of life for people living with diabetes (PwD). Why does this matter? In this month’s editorial, a Type 2 diabetes (T2D) advocate shares their story and perspective on why integrated care is key to help PwD live long, fulfilling lives.
“T2D has been part of my life for more than a decade. My experience of the condition began earlier, with my father, who also lived with T2D. Sadly, we lost him to complications that were detected far too late. For two years, he was treated for a skin condition, but no one thought to test for diabetes. If, through a more integrated system, my father had been screened earlier, we might have had more years with him. That experience changed my life. It pushed me to get tested and receive my own diagnosis in time. But for many PwD the diagnosis still comes too late. Often, complications like heart or kidney diseases are what reveal the condition.
Living with diabetes is not just about numbers. Numbers don’t grieve, don’t struggle, don’t hope. People do. Behind numbers there are people with needs, a family, a story and specific situations they face every day. Too often, the human side is overlooked. At my first consultation, I left with a prescription, a few instructions and many unanswered questions about how to live with this condition. What PwD need is not just advice on managing blood glucose, but clear communication, coordinated support across specialties and an understanding of their specific needs and circumstances.
Integrated, person-centred care means access to early detection, personalised care plans that reflect each individual’s specific needs and a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (HCPs) working together rather than in silos. It means making PwD true partners in their care, not just ‘messengers’ repeating our medical history and carrying results from one clinic to another.
Today, we face a choice: keep the status quo; allow the system to worsen as the number of diabetes cases rises; or embrace integrated care that brings coordination and empowerment. I believe a third path is possible – if we listen to the voices of PwD and invest in strengthening healthcare systems and collaboration across all levels of care.
I share my story not only to honour my father’s memory but to call for change. No one should lose a loved one, or live with diabetes without the support of a healthcare system that sees the whole person behind the numbers. Let us make holistic, integrated, person-centred care standard practice, not the exception.”
E.N., T2D Advocate
YOUTH PLATFORM
Apply to be part of the 2025 YOURAH Forum in Brussels
Each year, IDF Europe organises alumni get-together events for its YOURAH members – the YOURAH Forum. These events provide a platform for past Youth Leadership Lab participants to reconnect, share their journeys and engage in shared advocacy efforts.
This year’s Forum will be held in Brussels, from November 11-13, and will focus on “Mental health and Diabetes”. Participants will attend a youth-led event at the EU Parliament, interactive sessions with policymakers and health organisations, and will collaborate on initiatives addressing the impact of mental health in diabetes.
| #BeActive Day – YOURAH members share their stories
As part of #BeActive Day during the European Week of Sport, we highlighted the voices of several YOURAH members, who shared how they stay active while living with diabetes. Through personal testimonials, they offered practical tips, tricks and encouragement for others navigating the same journey. Physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes management and overall wellbeing, but it can come with unique challenges. By spotlighting these lived experiences, we want to inspire and support PwD to find activities that work for them, while also raising awareness of the importance of making sport and physical activity inclusive and accessible for all. |
| YOURAH members meet ISLET researchersIDF Europe is part of ISLET, an EU-funded project seeking to generate islet cells to replace those destroyed in people living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D), to enable insulin production again.As part of our role in fostering engagement of PwD, a group of YOURAH advocates visited the Helmholtz Munich Diabetes Centre to meet and interview ISLET researchers. In one of these conversations, T1D advocate, Maartje Roskams, spoke with Eunike Sawitning Ayu Setyono, a scientist working on stem cell–derived islets. Their discussion highlights not only the promise of research but also the importance of connecting it with the experiences of PwD. |
MEMBER NEWS
| IDF Europe at the Nordic Forum 2025
On September 4-5, we took part in the Nordic Forum 2025 – an event bringing together national diabetes associations from across the Nordics to share knowledge, strengthen collaboration and discuss the priorities of the diabetes community. During the event, IDF Europe Director of Strategy & Policy, Sabine Dupont, and Board Member, Juha Tall, presented our ongoing activities and shared insights on advancing diabetes advocacy at European level. The spirit of collaboration throughout the event highlighted that exchanging best practices and sharing common challenges are central to strengthening the diabetes community and achieving better outcomes for PwD.
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| Cycling initiative in Italy: “Diabete a Ruota Libera”
On September 5-7, the C.R.A.D. FVG-ODV (Regional Coordination of Diabetes Associations) in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy organised the fourth edition of the cycling initiative, ‘Diabete a Ruota Libera’. During the three-day event, 180 participants cycled 230km passing through around 50 locations. The event aimed to raise awareness of the role of sport and physical activity in preventing and managing diabetes. This was achieved through active engagement with local communities, HCPs and local authorities along the route, ensuring both visibility and community participation. The event once again highlighted the power of collaboration in strengthening local diabetes awareness.
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Dr. Bruno Colmant appointed as the new President of the Belgian Diabetes Association (ADD-Belgium)
Dr. Bruno Colmant has recently been appointed as the new President of the Belgian Diabetes Association (ADD-Belgium), succeeding Prof. Radermecker. Dr. Colmant will build on the work of his predecessor and lead the implementation of ADD’s upcoming initiatives, aiming to amplify its societal impact, advance its mission and engage the broader public on diabetes-related challenges in Belgium.
IDF EUROPE NEWS, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
| Call for nomination to the IDF Europe Advocate AwardSince 2012, IDF Europe has recognised innovation and commitment to the diabetes community through specific prizes and awards. Diabetes advocates are transforming the landscape of diabetes care in Europe and are significantly contributing to improving access to care and quality of life for PwD.On the occasion of World Diabetes Day 2025 we will award an Advocate Award, supported by Lilly Diabetes, to celebrate a diabetes advocate for their contribution to supporting PwD’s rights. Nominations are open until November 6. |
| Prof. Battelino honoured with the diaTribe Vanguard Leadership AwardOn September 17, at the diaTribe Solvable Problems event in Vienna, EASD President, Prof. Chantal Mathieu, presented the Vanguard Leadership in Diabetes Award to IDF Europe Regional Chair, Prof. Tadej Battelino.The award celebrates bold leaders who not only imagine a better future for diabetes care but actively build it. Prof. Battelino is recognised as a trailblazer in clinical practice, research and advocacy. In accepting the award, he credited his mentors, collaborators and especially the PwD who inspired him to dream big and pursue solutions in diabetes care. |
| IDF Europe Symposium at EASD 2025On September 18, we held our symposium on Integration of Care at EASD 2025 in Vienna. The event gathered people living with T1D and T2D, HCPs and public health experts to discuss why integrated care is essential to support PwD in managing this complex condition and how we can overcome fragmented health systems and scale integrated care solutions. Building on last year’s focus on personalisation of care, this year’s conversations offered new and ideas to improve quality of life for PwD.We thank all speakers and attendees for their participation, and our partner Air Liquide Healthcare for their support, as we look forward to advancing these important discussions together. |
| New podcast episode: Integrated care for diabetes
Diabetes places a significant burden on both individuals and healthcare systems, making it essential to develop care models that address the complex needs of people living with the condition. In our latest podcast episode, we are joined by Dr. Benedetta Armocida, Coordinator of JACARDI (the EU Joint Action on CARdiovascular Disease & DIabetes), and Dr. Heléna Safadi, JACARDI Work Package 9 lead, on Integrated Care. Together, they discuss what integrated care looks like in practice, how JACARDI is piloting projects across several European countries to advance its uptake and why person-centred approaches are key to improving outcomes for chronic conditions like diabetes. |
IDF Europe Position Paper on the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan
In response to the European Commission’s call for evidence on the development of an EU Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Plan, we published a Position Paper and a summary document.
Our input highlights the strong bidirectional link between CVD and diabetes and the burden these conditions place on people and health systems. It sets out key recommendations to integrated diabetes prevention, screening, early action, effective management and screening for complications to strengthen the EU CVH Plan and help improve CVD outcomes across the EU.
GET ENGAGED
| EMA survey on AI in medicine development and evaluation
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched a survey on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine development and evaluation to gather insights that will help identify priority research areas, reduce uncertainty and support the safe and effective use of AI. The survey is open until October 17. EMA welcomes input from the European medicines regulatory network, academia, industry, patients, consumers, HCPs and their organisations. |
| Join the EUPATI Patient Training Expert Programme
Registrations for the next cohort of the EUPATI Patient Expert Training Programme are still open! EUPATI (European Patients’ Academy on Therapeutic Innovation) is a non-profit foundation dedicated to advancing the involvement of people with lived experience in health innovation. The Training Programme is a unique learning opportunity designed to empower patients, carers and advocates with the knowledge and skills to drive real change in healthcare. |
UNDERSTANDING DIABETES
| European Week of Sports: the HEPA GuideDuring September 23–30, the European Week of Sport took place across Europe, with activities designed to encourage people to get active and to highlight the benefits of physical activity for health and wellbeing.Throughout the week, we promoted the 2025 Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) Guide, to which we contributed the chapter on diabetes. The Guide offers practical strategies to make physical activity more inclusive and accessible for people at risk of, or living with, NCDs such as diabetes. By supporting regular, tailored physical activity, this resource can help reduce diabetes risk, improve management and enhance quality of life. |
| World Alzheimer’s Day: the importance of early detection
On September 21, we celebrated World Alzheimer’s Day by drawing attention to the strong link between diabetes and dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and PwD are at higher risk of developing the condition due to factors such as insulin resistance, cardiovascular complications, inflammation and episodes of severe hypoglycaemia. Early detection and regular screening for complications like vision and cholesterol levels are essential to protecting brain health. Supporting PwD through timely diagnosis and equitable access to care can help delay or reduce the onset of dementia across the life course. |
Learn more about diabetes and its complications
HEALTH-RELATED NEWS
WHO | WHO updates list of essential medicines to include key diabetes treatments
WHO recently updated its Model List of Essential Medicines (EML), adding GLP-1 receptor agonists and GIP/GLP-1 for adults living with T2D who also experience cardiovascular disease (CVD), kidney disease or obesity, alongside rapid-acting insulin analogues for T1D and T2D. Read more
NCD Alliance | Vast Majority of Governments Back NCD Political Declaration
On September 25, during the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, governments from every region reaffirmed their commitment to tackling NCDs, with a strong majority supporting the Political Declaration which has now been referred to the UN General Assembly for adoption as a Resolution in the coming weeks. Read more
EPF | Recommendations for the ongoing Trilogues on the revision of the EU pharmaceutical legislation
The European Patients’ Forum (EPF) released its recommendations for the ongoing Trilogues on the revision of the EU pharmaceutical legislation, highlighting key priorities of the patient community: meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in EMA decision-making, availability and security of medicines and access to reliable information and medicines that better address patients’ needs. Read more
JA PreventNCD | Youth voices shape Europe’s Cardiovascular Health Plan
On September 22, the Youth Advisory Group (YAG) of the Joint Action (JA,) ‘PreventNCD’ contributed to the EU Commission’s online consultation for the EU Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Plan. IDF Europe Project Coordinator, Cameron Keighron, joined the discussion emphasising the need for youth-focused strategies, health education and co-designed digital tools to support NCD prevention and self-management. Read more
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.
- THE EXOCRINE PANCREAS – FROM FILTERS TO FERMENTATIONS
In the 1600s, the pancreas emerged as a puzzle for Europe’s brightest physicians. Was it a filter? A gland? A chemical factory? Gaspare Aselli linked it to digestion, tracing the “milky veins” that carried nutrients from the intestines. Thomas Wharton argued it processed humours from nerve canals, while Niels Stensen overturned these ideas by showing that secretions came from blood.
At Leiden, Franciscus de Sylvius and his talented student Reinier de Graaf carried out bold experiments, dissections – and even taste tests – to understand the pancreas’s chemical nature. Johann Conrad Brunner later performed surgical studies on dogs, observing changes in urination that hinted at diabetes, anticipating discoveries about pancreatic islets two centuries ahead of their time.
Are you curious to learn about the long quest to understand diabetes? Explore this fascinating story in Chapter Seven of Readings on Diabetes.
EU RESEARCH PROJECTS
| Join the closing event of Trials@Home!Over the past years, IDF Europe has been part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project, Trials@Home, which explores the implementation of decentralised clinical trials (DCTs).The project is now coming to an end and recommendations will be published highlighting what is required to implement DCTs successfully. The results will be presented during a conference on October 31, in Utrecht and online. The event will include discussions on the project’s learnings, its impact and sustainability, and the future of DCTs. |
| MOVEUP and the European Week of SportsIDF Europe is part of the Erasmus+ MOVEUP project, which aims to make physical activity more accessible to people living with T2D and other NCDs through sports promoting fun, inclusive environments while supporting health.This September, during the European Week of Sports, MOVEUP partners organised activities across Belgium, Kosovo, Italy and Romania, where participants had the opportunity to learn about the project and practice walking football, basketball and catchball. |
DigiCare4You: mapping policies and services for diabetes and hypertension
We are proud of being part of the DigiCare4You Horizon 2020 project which aims to improve the early prevention and management of T2D and hypertension.
As part of the project, consortium partners conducted an inventory of available policies and services in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Spain. The research provides an overview of how national health systems and community health services address prevention, screening and management of T2D and hypertension.