Advocacy

In promoting digestive health, we work towards the prevention of digestive diseases, as well as the advancement and equal access to treatments to help improve patient outcomes. We focus on reducing the socio-economic burden of digestive diseases and call for increased research funding.

Read UEG Open Letter

On April 26, 2023, we organized an event at the European Parliament that brought together digestive health experts and key stakeholders from the European health community for a lively and solution-oriented discussion on the current state of digestive health across Europe. 

For the launch of our latest publication, we were pleased to be joined by representatives from the European Parliament, the European Commission, WHO Europe and the Patient organisation Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE). 

Find a summary of the event in this article published on Euractive.

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Data from the pan-European study, commissioned by UEG on the burden of digestive diseases and associated research gaps, highlights worrying increases in the prevalence of several digestive diseases since 2000. This new UEG study will assist in accelerating progress in reducing the burden of digestive disorders and help to identify priority areas for research and investment across Europe.

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Dietary choices can increase the risk of developing chronic digestive diseases. The increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods, including those high in sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans-fats, is a huge concern and places an excessive strain on European health systems. 

More on nutrition
 

Way forward:

• Greater understanding of digestive diseases and promotion of a change in eating culture
• Whole-of-society approach to transform food systems: establishing clear, scientific targets and limiting the consumption and production of unhealthy foods
• Comprehensive range of policies to limit the availability, affordability and acceptability of fast foods (fiscal measures, marketing, labelling)
• Legislation to ban industrial trans-fats
• Subsidies to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables

Understanding the human microbiome - webinar series co-hosted by MEP Sarah Wiener

These webinars are addressed to policy makers and the greater public and delve into current topics, such as nutrition, gut health and diseases prevention, with the aim of making the case for improved food policy in the EU.

Farm-Fork-Microbiome connection: Steps towards a healthier future

This event was the final webinar in the series, aimed at summarising the existing evidence on the impact of diet and lifestyle on gut microbiota and human health and exploring the potential of EU policy in delivering improved gut health. 
 
Speakers:

• Prof. Shira Zelber-Sagi, School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Israel 
• Prof. Benoit Chassaing, Chassaing Laboratory, INSERM, France
• Floriana Cimmarusti, Secretary General, Safe Food Advocacy for Europe(SAFE) and Consumers Representative on the European Food Safety Authority’s Management Board
• Dirk Hadrich, Policy and Programme Officer, European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation, People Directorate, Combatting diseases Unit
• Prof. Michael Manns, Co-Chair of the EASL- Lancet Liver Commission and President of Hannover Medical School, Germany

Event report

Cancer and the gut microbiome

Top experts provided the latest insights into:

• The gut microbiome’s potential in preventing tumour development
• The role of the gut microbiome in the initiation and progression of malignant digestive diseases
• The role of the gut microbiome in the treatment of cancer

Speakers:

• Prof. Thomas Seufferlein, Head of Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
• Prof. Herbert Tilg, Head of Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Endocrinology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria

The impact of ultra-processed foods

The expert speakers explained how ultra-processed food impacts our gut health, with a focus on:

• The burden of ill-health due to unhealthy diets
• The impact of common components of ultra-processed foods on gut microbiome
• The role of food reformulation and nutrition labelling

Speakers:

• Prof. Shira Zelber Sagi, Head of School of Public Health-University of Haifa, Israel
• Prof. Benoit Chassaing, Principal Investigator, Chassaing Lab at Inserm, France

The link to obesity and liver disease

This webinar  explored the links between gut microbiome, nutrition, obesity and liver diseases, with a focus on:

• Insights into the role of microbiome in obesity and liver disease
• Use of microbiome data for improved nutrition and health
• The role of food policy in obesity prevention

Speakers:  

• Eran Segal, Principal Investigator at SegalLab, Weizmann Institute, Israel  
• Floriana Cimmarusti, Secretary General, Safe Food Advocacy Europe (SAFE) 

Digestive cancers, which include colorectal, pancreatic, gastric, oesophageal and liver cancer, are responsible for over one-third of cancer-related deaths across UEG member countries. In 2020, of the top 10 cancers with the newest cases in Europe, three were digestive cancers.  

Way forward:

• Support initiatives on digestive cancers, within the remit of the new EU Cancer Plan and include a lifestyle approach on prevention.
• Prioritise the implementation of standardized population-based and quality-controlled screening programmes in member states and ensure that guidelines are updated.
• Increase funding for pancreatic cancer research (basic science and clinical studies)

Chronic digestive diseases inflict a heavy healthcare and socio-economic burden in Europe. These diseases often affect patients at a younger age and lifelong disorders can have a significant impact on society. IBD, for example, affects 3 million people across Europe and costs the EU up to €5.6 billion per year.

More on IBD

Way forward:

• Support a greater emphasis on health in the 2019-24 mandate.
• Recognise the socio-economic burden of chronic digestive diseases.
• Increase funding for the prevention and management of chronic digestive diseases and their impact on health systems.
• Build a comprehensive EU strategy on chronic diseases.

The European region has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world, with 25% of deaths from digestive diseases directly attributed to alcohol.

More on alcohol consumption

Way forward:

• Prioritise protection from excessive alcohol consumption, including the prevention of aggressive marketing and deliver on a regulatory approach to labelling.
• New EU Alcohol Strategy to support EU countries in reducing alcohol-related harm.

Coordinating European Action Against Colorectal Cancer – CRC Manifesto

In this manifesto, we call for the implementation of organised, population-based screening programmes across the entirety of the EU and for Member States to improve the coverage and quality of existing programmes and reduce the burden of colorectal cancer.

Read the manifesto

UEG Position Paper on Obesity and Digestive Health

The obesity epidemic is one of the most significant public health challenges that Europe now faces. This position paper highlights the role of overweight and obesity in digestive diseases and puts forward our recommendations for policy interventions.

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UEG Statement on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation

The EHDS Regulation is a game-changing initiative by the European Commission, paving the way for secure and trusted sharing of electronic health data. UEG highlights its power to boost care and drive research—and the key role healthcare professionals will play. Discover UEG’s recommendations to unlock the full potential of the EHDS.

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Joint Position Paper on Pancreatic Cancer

This position paper, produced by Pancreatic Cancer Europe (PCE) in collaboration with Cancer Patients Europe (CPE), Digestive Cancer Europe (DiCE), European Pancreatic Club (EPC) and UEG, highlights the alarming trends related to pancreatic cancer in Europe. It outlines actionable solutions to combat pancreatic cancer, which remains the third leading cause of cancer deaths in Europe.

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In view of the 2024 EU elections, we have put forward concrete policy recommendations for the six key areas identified in the White Book 2. These recommendations serve as the main drivers for improved digestive health outcomes in Europe. 

UEG Policy Recommendations: Children’s health 

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UEG Policy Recommendations: Health inequalities

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UEG Policy Recommendations: Research funding & data collection

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UEG Policy Recommendations: Primary prevention

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UEG Policy Recommendations: Cancer screening

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UEG Open Letter to EU leadership

Based on the key findings of the White Book 2 study, we address the EU leadership with six policy recommendations to create a stronger health policy environment for digestive health in the EU. 

Read Open Letter
 

Pancreatic & Gastric Cancers – Joint DiCE, PCE and UEG Policy Solutions

Together with Digestive Cancers Europe and Pancreatic Cancer Europe, we have issued joint policy solutions for lifting the neglected burden associated with gastric and pancreatic cancer. 

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Digestive Cancer Screening Across Europe

This position paper presents the available evidence and main issues that need to be addressed to ensure the successful implementation of screening for four main types of cancer. It aims to provide recommendations to aid informed decision-making on reducing the burden of digestive cancers across Europe.

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AI in Gastroenterology: A window of opportunity

To maximise the life-changing opportunities offered by AI and robotics, we must overcome a variety of challenges. In this position paper, UEG highlights the value AI can provide to the field of gastroenterology, identifies the challenges we face and sets out a 4-step pathway forward.

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UEG Position Paper on AI 

Owing to their rapid development, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offer great promise for gastroenterology practice and research. This position paper conveys the calls of the GI community in relation to the upcoming EU legislation on AI.

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Position paper addressing unhealthy dietary patterns through mandatory front-of-pack labelling

To promote optimal digestive health and to reduce the burden inflicted by obesity and chronic digestive diseases, we call in this position paper for the adoption of mandatory front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) across the EU.

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UEG Statement on EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy

We aim at reducing health inequalities across Europe and stand ready to assist the EU institutions with medical and scientific expertise across all the key aspects addressed by EU’s Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy.

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UEG and WONCA joint statement on reducing the burden of chronic digestive diseases

This UEG and WONCA joint statement sheds light on the burden of chronic digestive diseases in Europe. It highlights the role of primary care physicians in reducing this burden and recommends key actions that can be taken in primary care settings.

Read joint statement