Published: September 19, 2025

Meeting with EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi

On the 18th of September, in Brussels, FH Europe Foundation representatives had the opportunity to meet with EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi and exchange views on the forthcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan. The discussion shed light on one of the most urgent yet overlooked challenges in cardiovascular health: common but underdiagnosed conditions such as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], as well as truly rare disorders like homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) and familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS).

Following the meeting, Commissioner Várhelyi captured the scale of the problem in his post on X:

“Around 90 million Europeans live with inherited lipid disorders – yet 98% of Lp(a) cases & 90% of Familial Hypercholesterolemia remain undiagnosed. Our EU CVD Action Plan will tackle this by boosting early detection and treatment for all living with cardiovascular conditions.”

 

These numbers underline the stark reality: millions of Europeans live with conditions that dramatically increase their risk of heart attack or stroke yet remain undetected and untreated. Without action, inherited lipid disorders silently pass from one generation to the next, with devastating consequences for families and health systems alike.

Representing the FH Europe Foundation community, Magdalena Daccord (CEO), Prof. Florian Kronenberg (Chair of the Lp(a) International Taskforce), and Kitti Almer (Policy and Advocacy Manager) stressed the urgent need for:

  • Systematic screening and early detection, especially through family-based and cascade testing.
  • Innovation in diagnostics and therapies, to bring effective solutions to patients sooner.
  • Equity in access, ensuring that all patients across Europe, regardless of country or background, can benefit from the same level of care.

This meeting reinforced FH Europe Foundation’s long-standing commitment to advocating for those affected by inherited lipid disorders. As the EU prepares to launch its Cardiovascular Health Plan, FH Europe stands ready to support its implementation and to ensure that undiagnosed no longer means untreated.
Together, we can #PreventThePreventable and change the future of cardiovascular health in Europe.

 

Prepared by  

Kitti Almer,
FHEF Policy and Advocacy Manager 

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