2015 Call To Action

On 20 October 2015, representatives of the fledgling FH Europe patient network headed for Brussels to attend a meeting at the European Parliament and launch a Call to Action on Familial Hypercholesterolaemia.

The meeting discussed the situation in Europe. More than one million people are affected by this condition and members wished to make decision-makers aware of the importance and urgency of identifying people with FH and their families as early as possible. They explained that people with FH are at high risk of a heart attack at an early age – such as their 20s, 30s or 40s. FH is one of the most commonly occurring genetic conditions. Once identified, it is easily treated. However, the majority of cases remain unknown. In some European countries less than 1% of individuals are identified.

The 2015 Call to Action proposed three key actions:

1. It called on the European Parliament to develop an EU strategy dedicated to prevention of cardiovascular diseases, including a chapter on FH;
2. It called on all EU member states to raise awareness at national and regional level on the causes, risk-factors and consequences of FH among all healthcare practitioners;
3. It proposed establishing an EU-wide network to share data, best practices, evidence on cascade testing and management of heart disease.

By working together, FH Europe member associations seek to raise awareness, promote identification of individuals and their family members with FH and to stimulate the opportunity for those with FH to lead healthy and productive lives through appropriate treatment and lifestyle measures.