Health Cluster

Research and innovation can provide a better understanding of specific health and care needs throughout the life course, including age-specific and sex/gender-specific needs as well as special needs of vulnerable population groups, and develop more effective solutions for health promotion and disease prevention, including for needs related to chronic health conditions, physical disabilities, mental disorders and disabilities, or age-related impairments. Research and innovation can help people, as well as communities, in developing innovative services, policies, guidelines and digital solutions, also ensuring that they are accessible, equitable and effective in preventing disease and promoting health. Furthermore, research and innovation can provide new evidences, methodologies and tools for increasing health literacy, improving adoption of healthy lifestyles and behaviours that prevent diseases and promote health, and empowering citizens to manage their health, including children and adolescents. Key to achieving these objectives is the availability and accessibility of realworld health data, which will require appropriate support by research and data infrastructures.

• Citizens adopt healthier lifestyles and behaviours, make healthier choices and maintain longer a healthy, independent and active life with a reduced disease burden, including at old ages or in other vulnerable stages of life.
• Citizens are able and empowered to manage better their own physical and mental health and well-being, monitor their health, and interact with their doctors and health care providers.
• Citizens´ trust in knowledge-based health interventions and in guidance from health authorities is strengthened, including through improved health literacy (including at young ages), resulting in increased engagement in and adherence to effective strategies for health promotion, diseases prevention and treatment, including increased vaccination rates and patient safety.
• Health policies and actions for health promotion and disease prevention are knowledge-based, people-centred and thus targeted and tailored to citizens' needs, and designed to reduce health inequalities.

2. CULTURE, CREATIVITY AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
Synergies on health inequalities, on other inequalities affecting health, or on citizens’ behaviour and engagement.
4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Synergies on digital tools, telemedicine or smart homes.
5. CLIMATE, ENERGY AND MOBILITY
Synergies on urban health or on mitigating the impact of road traffic accidents and related injuries.
6. FOOD, BIOECONOMY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT
Synergies on role of nutrition for health (incl. human microbiome, mal- and over-nutrition, safe food), personalised diets (incl. food habits in general and childhood obesity in particular) and the impact of food-related environmental stressors on human health (incl. marketing and consumer habits).

In order to achieve sustainable impacts, research and innovation must provide solid evidence and stimulate its uptake into a large number of environmental, occupational, social, economic, fiscal and health policies at the EU, national and regional level. Strong collaborations across sectors and with other Horizon Europe clusters dealing with issues such as “one health”, agriculture, food, environment, climate, mobility, security, urban planning, social inclusion and gender will be needed to ensure that maximal societal benefits will be reached. Likewise, international cooperation, including at science-policy level, will be key to drive forward research and innovation to tackle this challenge.

• Policy-makers and regulators are aware and well informed about environmental, socioeconomic and occupational risk factors as well as health-promoting factors across society.
• Environmental, occupational, social, economic, fiscal and health policies and practices at the EU, national and regional level are sustainable and based on solid scientific evidence. These include overarching policy frameworks such as the European Green Deal, the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, the 8th Environment Action Programme, the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work and the European Environment and Health Process led by the World Health Organization.
• The upstream determinants of disease – related to choices in energy generation, agricultural practices, industrial production, land use planning, built environment and construction – are known, understood and reduced.
• The health threats and burden resulting from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination is reduced, so that the related number of deaths and illnesses is substantially reduced by 2030.
• Living and working environments in European cities and regions are healthier, more inclusive, safer, resilient and sustainable.
• The adaptive capacity and resilience of populations and health systems in the EU to climate and environmental change-related health risks is strengthened.
• Citizens’ health and well-being is protected and promoted, and premature deaths, diseases and inequalities related to environmental pollution and degradation are prevented.
• Citizens understand better complex environment and health issues, and effective measures to address them and support related policies and regulations.

4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Synergies on health-related space research and innovation for locationbased services, geo-observation and monitoring (e.g. of pollution); on health impact assessment (e.g. of biodiversity loss, infrastructures, urban planning, transport technologies, chemicals and other substances, incl. pollution and One Health AMR).
5. CLIMATE, ENERGY AND MOBILITY
Synergies on the surveillance, prediction and mitigation of the health impact of climate change, on the health impact of transport-related environmental pollution (such as air and noise pollution), on transport and mobility related risks on health, or on concepts/technologies for smart and healthy homes, rural areas and cities; on health impact assessment (e.g. of infrastructure, urban planning, transport, technologies, chemicals and other substances, incl. pollution) and on preventable environmental causes of diseases.
6. FOOD, BIOECONOMY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT
Synergies on human biomonitoring, on healthy ecosystems and human habitats (incl. nature-based solutions for health and well-being), on the sustainable management of clean water, soil, air, and biodiversity; on health impact assessment (e.g. of infrastructure, urban planning, transport, technologies, chemicals and other substances, incl. pollution); and on preventable environmental causes of diseases.

There is an urgent need for research and innovation on new prevention, public health interventions, diagnostics, vaccines, pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies, new antibiotics and alternatives to, antibiotics, as well as to improve existing prevention strategies to create tangible impacts, taking into account sex/gender-related issues and patient safety issues. To quickly advance research and innovation on these issues, international cooperation could be an opportunity to pool the best expertise and know-how available worldwide, to access world-class research infrastructures and to leverage critical scales of investments on priority needs through better alignment with other funders of international health research and innovation cooperation. The continuation of international partnerships and cooperation with international organisations is particularly needed to combat infectious diseases, including antimicrobial resistances and emerging epidemics and pandemics, to respond to major unmet needs for global health security, including the global burden of non-communicable diseases.

• Health burden of diseases in the EU and worldwide is reduced through effective disease management, including through the development and integration of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, personalised medicine approaches, digital and other people-centred solutions for health care. In particular, patients are diagnosed early and accurately and receive effective, cost-efficient and affordable treatment, including patients with a rare disease, due to effective translation of research results into new diagnostic tools and therapies.
• Premature mortality from non-communicable diseases is reduced by one third (by 2030), mental health and well-being is promoted, and the voluntary targets of the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020 are attained (by 2025), with an immediate impact on the related disease burden (DALYs).
• Health care systems benefit from strengthened research and innovation expertise, human capacities and know-how for combatting communicable and non-communicable diseases, including through international cooperation. In particular, they are better prepared to respond rapidly and effectively to health emergencies and are able to prevent and manage communicable diseases transmissions epidemics, including within healthcare settings.
• Citizens benefit from reduced (cross-border) health threat of epidemics and AMR pathogens, in the EU and worldwide. In particular, the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases are contained and hepatitis, waterborne diseases and other communicable diseases are being combated.
• Patients and citizens are knowledgeable of disease threats, involved and empowered to make and shape decisions for their health, and better adhere to knowledge-based disease management strategies and policies (especially for controlling outbreaks and emergencies).

3. CIVIL SECURITY FOR SOCIETY
Synergies on health security/ emergencies (preparedness and response, medical counter measures, epidemic outbreaks/pandemics, One Health AMR, natural disasters and technological incidents, bioterrorism).
4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Synergies on decision-support systems or on geo-observation and monitoring (e.g. of disease vectors, epidemics).
6. FOOD, BIOECONOMY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT
Synergies on health security, One Health AMR (one health approach across human, animal/plant, soil/ water health), biodiscovery and biotechnology, personalised diets to reducing the burden of diseases.

Research and innovation can help by supporting the development of innovative solutions for health care systems in all their various dimensions (e.g. governance and financing, resilience and preparedness for health emergencies and climate changes, education and training of the health workforce, health service provision and sustainability, interaction with patients and patient empowerment) and for policy-making (health in all policies). In addition, research and innovation can provide decision-makers with new evidence, methods and tools to implement successfully those innovative solutions into their health care systems. It will deliver solutions that are scalable and transferrable between different types of health care systems in different countries and provide knowledge supporting the transfer of solutions between countries. In turn this will help to improve the governance and resilience of health care systems as well as to allocate resources according to people’s needs and preferences while delivering fiscal and environmental sustainability to make sure those needs can be met in the long-term.

Special focus

• Modernising health care systems in the EU, especially through a European public-public partnership on transforming health and care systems.
• Improving the quality of health care along the entire health care continuum and being people-centred.
• Supporting evidence-based health care decisions both for health care providers and policy-makers, fostering improved foresight and enabling sound planning of health care resources.
• Development and uptake of innovative health care services and solutions, including environmentally sustainable ones that contribute to the European Green Deal.

• Health and social care services and systems have improved governance mechanisms and are more effective, efficient, accessible, resilient, trusted and sustainable, both fiscally and environmentally. Health promotion and disease prevention will be at their heart, by shifting from hospital-centred to community-based, people-centred and integrated health care structures and successfully embedding technological innovations that meet public health needs, while patient safety and quality of services is increased.
• Health care providers are trained and equipped with the skills and competences suited for the future needs of health care systems that are modernised, digitally transformed and equipped with innovative tools, technologies and digital solutions for health care. They save time and resources by integrating and applying innovative technologies, which better involve patients in their own care, by reorganising workflows and redistributing tasks and responsibilities throughout the health care system, and by monitoring and analysing corresponding health care activities.
• Citizens are supported to play a key role in managing their own health care, informal carers (including unpaid carers) are fully supported (e.g. by preventing overburdening and economic stress) and specific needs of more vulnerable groups are recognised and addressed. They benefit from improved access to health care services, including financial risk protection, timely access to quality essential health care services, including safe, effective, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines.
• Health policy and systems adopt a holistic approach (individuals, communities, organisations, society) for the evaluation of health outcomes and value of public health interventions, the organisation of health care, and decision-making.
• The actions resulting from the calls under this destination will also create strong opportunities for synergies with the EU4Health programme and in particular to contribute to the goals under general objectives 1a “protecting people in the Union from serious cross-border threats to health and strengthening the responsiveness of health systems and coordination among the Member States to cope with those threats” and 3 “strengthening health systems by improving their resilience and resource efficiency, in particular through: i) supporting integrated and coordinated work between Member States; ii) promoting the implementation of best practices data sharing; iii) reinforcing the healthcare workforce; iv) tackling the implications of demographic challenges; and v) advancing digital transformation”.

2. CULTURE, CREATIVITY AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
Synergies on health economics and economic models, on costeffectiveness, fiscal sustainability and accessibility of healthcare, or on adaptation of public health systems to societal challenges (climate change, environmental degradation, migration, demographic change, emerging epidemics and One Health AMR) thereby contributing to building resilience.
3. CIVIL SECURITY FOR SOCIETY
Synergies on security of health care infrastructures, incl. digital health infrastructures, health systems preparedness and response to disasters and other emergencies, and quality and safety of medicine (counterfeit and substandard medicine, illicit drugs, One Health AMR).
4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Synergies on cybersecurity of (public) health systems, products and infrastructures of digitalised health and care, or on health impact assessment (e.g. related to consumer products, working place innovation).

Research and innovation are needed on the large spectrum of tools and technologies for biomedical research, prevention, diagnosis, therapy and monitoring. Managing benefits and risks of new technologies and due consideration of aspects of safety, effectiveness, inter-operability, appropriateness, accessibility, comparative value-added, affordability and sustainability (environmental, fiscal, socio-economic) and issues of ethical, societal, regulatory and legal nature will be crucial in order to boost the acceptability of these novelties and to translate these innovations into health policies, health and care systems, and clinical practice responsibly. Moreover, to provide high-quality health care and reduce health inequalities, end users’ engagement in multidisciplinary, cross-sectorial cooperation with key stakeholders (patients, health care providers and workforce, researchers, regulatory bodies, policy-makers, funders) could help addressing specific unmet needs for health tools, technologies and digital solutions with limited commercial interest but also designing and developing suitable health products and services tailored to needs of specific population groups including needs related to sex/gender or other aspects. Artificial Intelligence technologies have recently shown great promise for analysing high volumes of health data, with high potential for advancing biomedical research, personalised medicine and health care and for supporting health care systems in their clinical, organisational and logistical functions provided that relevant and consistent health data of high quality is available and accessible.

• Europe’s scientific and technological expertise and know-how, its capabilities for innovation in new tools, technologies and digital solutions, and its ability to take-up, scale-up and integrate innovation in health care is world-class.
• Citizens benefit from targeted and faster research resulting in safer, more efficient, costeffective and affordable tools, technologies and digital solutions for improved (personalised) disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring for better patient outcome and well-being, in particular through increasingly shared health resources (interoperable data, infrastructure, expertise, citizen/patient driven co-creation).
• The EU gains high visibility and leadership in terms of health technology development, including through international cooperation.
• The burden of diseases in the EU and worldwide is reduced through the development and integration of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, personalised medicine approaches, digital and other people-centred solutions for health care.
• Both the productivity of health research and innovation, and the quality and outcome of health care is improved thanks to the use of health data and innovative analytical tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI) supported decision-making, in a secure and ethical manner, respecting individual integrity and underpinned with public acceptance and trust.

4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Synergies on digitalisation of the health sector, incl. health technologies, medical devices and key enabling technologies; assisted, autonomous, independent and empowered living; smart homes; decision support systems; health impact assessment (e.g. related to consumer products, working place innovation).

There is a convergence and a need for cross-sectorial research and innovation (integrating medical technologies, pharmaceuticals, biotechnologies, digital health and eHealth technologies) to strengthen the single market, including by implementing the Digital Single Market strategy, supporting the standardisation policy, driving innovation from the demand side and providing evidence and guidelines for stakeholders and regulators to ensure take-up of innovations supports sustainability (environmental, fiscal, socioeconomic) while fostering access and reducing health inequalities. The health sector is subjected to strict regulatory requirements that impose the demonstration of clinical benefit(s) and safety. This means additional development steps, uncertainties and a longer time to market. Support to studies for health assessment procedures, clinical performance demonstration, quality assurance schemes and standardisation are therefore important elements. Research and innovation is needed to develop new crosssectorial business models where health-related industry cooperates early with health care systems in the development of value-added products and services to enable an optimal uptake and deployment of innovative solutions as well as to achieve the triple aim of improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction), improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of health care.

• Health industry in the EU is more competitive and sustainable, assuring European leadership in breakthrough health technologies and strategic autonomy in essential medical supplies and digital technologies, contributing to job creation and economic growth, in particular with small – and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Health industry is working more efficiently along the value chain from the identification of needs to the scale-up and take-up of solutions at national, regional or local level, including through early engagement with patients, health care providers, health authorities and regulators ensuring suitability and acceptance of solutions.
• European standards, including for operations involving health data, ensure patient safety and quality of healthcare services as well as effectiveness and interoperability of health innovation and productivity of innovators.
• Citizens, health care providers and health systems benefit from a swift uptake of innovative health technologies and services offering significant improvements in health outcomes, while health industry in the EU benefit from decreased time-to-market.
• Health security in the EU benefits from reliable access to key manufacturing capacity, including timely provision of essential medical supplies of particularly complex or critical supply and distribution chains, such as regards vaccines or medical radioisotopes.

4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Synergies on industrial research and innovation infrastructures (pilot plants, testing and simulation facilities, open innovation hubs); additive manufacturing (3D/4D printing) and other production technologies (incl. bio manufacturing); safe, smart and sustainable materials.