Europe must embed patient voices to transform digestive health outcomes, urges new UEG manifesto

United European Gastroenterology (UEG), together with eight leading patient associations, has today launched the Digestive Health Roundtable Manifesto 2025 at the European Cancer Summit 2025, calling for patients to be recognised as co-creators – not merely beneficiaries – of digestive health policy, research, and care.

Developed through a multi-stakeholder Roundtable at UEG Week 2025, the manifesto brings together experts from clinical, research, policy, and patient communities to address Europe’s escalating digestive health burden.¹ Digestive diseases are among the leading causes of death and disability across Europe, yet progress in prevention, early detection, and equitable care remains uneven.

“Digestive diseases affect millions of people across Europe and place significant strain on patients, families, and healthcare systems,” said Professor Patrizia Burra, Chair of the UEG Public Affairs Group. “This manifesto calls for a culture of partnership – one where patients’ lived experiences guide research priorities, policy decisions, and clinical practice.”

Three priority areas

The manifesto identifies three areas for driving meaningful change:

1. Digestive cancer care: Digestive cancers cause over 700,000 deaths each year in UEG member states and account for over one-third of cancer-related mortality.¹ The manifesto calls for strengthened prevention and screening, better integration of primary care, and increased public awareness to support earlier detection.
2. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): PROMs capture the real-life impact of digestive diseases and treatments.² The manifesto calls for co-designed, standardised, inclusive PROMs frameworks to make quality of life a central consideration in healthcare evaluation, decision-making and reimbursement.
3. Patient involvement in clinical trials: Patient participation improves trial design, ethics, and real-world relevance.³ The manifesto promotes equitable access through decentralised trials, a “Patient Inclusive Trial” label to recognise best practice, and capacity-building initiatives for researchers.

A call to action for European policymakers

UEG, in collaboration with AOECS, DiCE, ECPO, ELPA, the EOS Network, IFCCA, ILCM, and PCE, urge European institutions, national authorities, and research organisations to:

• Recognise patient collaboration as central to digestive health policy.
• Adopt shared European frameworks for PROMs, clinical trial engagement, and cancer prevention.
• Support coordinated advocacy and implementation of the manifesto.

“Transforming digestive health in Europe requires more than scientific progress,” emphasised Professor Burra, UEG PAG Chair. “It demands trust, collaboration, and shared ownership. When patients are involved at every stage, prevention, treatment, and innovation truly serve those they are meant to.”