France’s new 2026–2030 roadmap strengthens the national commitment to cardiovascular prevention, alongside a significant legal milestone: childhood screening explicitly including familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).
Announced on 14 October 2026, the roadmap aims to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, identify risk factors earlier and improve support for people most at risk.
According to the French Ministry of Health, these diseases are the leading cause of death in Europe and the second leading cause in France. Although mortality has fallen through advances in treatment, care and prevention, the number of people affected continues to rise, driven partly by population ageing and exposure to cardiovascular risk factors.
The ministry highlights that more than 70% of premature cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases worldwide are associated with modifiable factors, including social and environmental conditions, behaviours and metabolic risk factors. Addressing these often overlapping factors creates opportunities to prevent disease and reduce risk.
Developed through consultation with healthcare professionals, patient associations and local stakeholders, the roadmap contains 36 operational actions organised around four priorities:
| Priority | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Promote cardiovascular health | Raise awareness among the public and relevant organisations and professionals. |
| 2. Strengthen early identification | Mobilise primary care professionals to identify risk factors and assess cardiovascular risk. |
| 3. Improve comprehensive care | Expand support to manage risk factors, particularly for people at high cardiovascular risk. |
| 4. Strengthen evidence and evaluation | Improve knowledge, monitoring and evaluation of preventive interventions. |
Practical measures include developing a communication strategy for the public and healthcare professionals; promoting “Mon Bilan Prévention”, France’s preventive health assessment programme; harmonising blood pressure measurement, control and monitoring; mobilising resources to review cardiovascular risk treatments in frail older people; and establishing a preventive care pathway to support earlier intervention.
The central message from Health Minister Stéphanie Rist is clear: cardiovascular prevention must become a public health priority, with earlier action and access to appropriate support throughout France. The roadmap also positions prevention as a means of reducing health inequalities.
It aligns with the EU’s Safe Hearts Plan, published on 16 December 2025, connecting European ambition with national action.
The roadmap follows Law No. 2026-668 of 27 July 2026, which establishes a national strategy for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular prevention, screening and care.
For families affected by FH, the law contains a particularly significant provision. Article 1 introduced Article L2132-2-3 into the Public Health Code, providing for an early screening appointment for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, specifically including FH, during the year following a child’s sixth birthday.
The appointment must be conducted by a specially trained doctor, who records either completion of screening or parental refusal in the child’s health record. This provision has been in force since 29 July 2026.
FH is an inherited lipid disorder characterised by elevated LDL cholesterol from birth. Its inclusion recognises the importance of detecting inherited cardiovascular risk early, alongside addressing modifiable risk factors.
The law also strengthens preventive assessments for adults, takes account of women’s specific cardiovascular risks, expands blood pressure measurement by pharmacists and physiotherapists, and reinforces prevention in workplaces and schools.
FH Europe Foundation warmly recognises ANHET.f—the Association Nationale des Hypercholestérolémies familiales et Lipoprotéines (a)—for its sustained advocacy for early detection and its support for patients and families in France.
Its contribution is documented in the French National Authority for Health’s work. In September 2024, ANHET.f and 13 scientific societies alerted the authority to gaps in childhood cholesterol detection and early care, requesting an assessment of universal paediatric FH screening.
For FH Europe Foundation, the roadmap and the law together represent an encouraging step towards earlier detection, coordinated care and greater equity in cardiovascular health.
Although the 14 October press release does not explicitly mention FH, Lp(a), lipid testing or childhood screening, the underpinning law clearly includes childhood FH screening. Sadly Lp(a) is not explicitly named in the final legislative text.
The next challenge is implementation: ensuring that families can access screening, that professionals have the necessary training and that detection leads to appropriate referral and sustained care. The legal commitment is an important milestone; its success will be measured in the children and families who benefit.