Commission launches European Screening Week with new recommendations on cardiovascular health checks

Cardiovascular disease is the EU's number one killer, causing 1.7 million deaths every year and costing the EU economy more than EUR 282 billion annually. Yet 80% of cardiovascular disease can be prevented by addressing risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, high blood sugar and obesity. The 'Safe Hearts' plan, presented in December 2025, aims to cut premature cardiovascular deaths by 25% by 2035, including by tackling these risk factors -- and today's proposal is an important step towards that goal. Medical check-ups can save and transform lives by identifying cardiovascular risks and disease early, letting people get the right advice and treatment at the right time. Today's recommendation will support Member States in designing and implementing cardiovascular health checks at national level, and will help tackle health inequalities across the EU by proposing that these checks be accessible to everyone, with particular attention to the needs of high-risk and vulnerable groups. The Commission is also inviting Member States to look at the best ways of supporting citizens at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including through personalised prevention and appropriate vaccination advice. The recommendation highlights how the latest health innovations, including data- and AI-based tools, can offer further opportunities to strengthen risk assessments and checks, as long as they are used responsibly and with proper human oversight. The Commission also underlined the role of health education in empowering citizens to take control of their health and understand the value of regular cardiovascular health checks. Member States are encouraged to raise public awareness and promote wide take-up, alongside equitable access through targeted campaigns, community-based screening programmes and mobile screening units. EU Screening Week In line with these recommendations and to support the 'Safe Hearts' plan, the Commission today launched the first annual EU Screening Week (28 September - 4 October), bringing together partners from across Europe to encourage people to get tested and raise public awareness of prevention through national, regional and local events. The European Screening Week is part of the EU-wide 'Know Your Numbers' campaign, which aims to raise awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and the importance of relevant health checks -- encouraging people to talk to a health professional about checks such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar screening. The campaign launches on World Heart Day (29 September 2026) and will run throughout 2027.