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06.10.2025
What is the role of health taxes in NCD prevention?
Health taxes are increasingly recognized as powerful tools designed to promote healthier lifestyles. By targeting products known to harm health, these taxes have the potential of changing consumer behaviour toward healthier choices. Furthermore, an opportunity for reinvestment arises for government by using the revenues for effective health prevention measures. JA PreventNCD hosted recently a webinar exploring the role of health taxation in NCD prevention. During the webinar we got a closer look on what these taxes are, and what they are not, through a historic overview. The widespread of health taxes was shown by the identification of several segments where health taxation applies, including tobacco, alcohol, sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) and unhealthy foods such as High Fat Sugar and Salt-products (HFSS). Experts presented compelling evidence of the effectiveness of health taxes, while also addressing potential challenges. During this session Professor Franco Sassi, from the Imperial College, a leading economist in health policy, provided a comprehensive introduction to health taxes and their role in NCD prevention. Professor Sassi is leading the work on Health Taxation in JA PreventNCDs as a subcontractor. Michele Cecchini, responsible for the OECD programme of work on Public Health, highlighted financial and economic aspects of Health and economic deviance of health taxes. Oliver Gainford, from the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), at the European Commission shared insights into European tax policy in the European member states. The webinar was moderated by Arnfinn Helleve from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, who leads of Work Package on Regulation and Taxation in JA PreventNCD. This session is highly relevant for professionals working in public health, NCD prevention and policymaking. A full recording of the webinar is available here.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/what-is-the-role-of-health-taxes-in-ncd-prevention/
15.09.2025
Statement from JA PreventNCD on the Call for Evidence to the EU cardiovascular health plan
This statement and recommendations from the The Joint Action Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD) respond to the Call for Evidence−Ares(2025)6517618 for the Initiative EU Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH Plan). JA PreventNCD is funded under the EU4Health programme and brings together 25 European countries with the common goal of reducing the burden of cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), focusing on both personal and societal risk factors. The project addresses health determinants through approaches ranging from policy interventions requiring cross-country and intersectoral collaboration to be effective, through national and local interventions promoting healthy living environments, to preventive care and risk detection, including personalized prevention. Reducing gender-related, socio-economic and geographical inequalities in health is a key priority. All measures aim to protect health equity of European citizens. Furthermore, to strengthen Member States’ abilities to respond to public health challenges, it is essential to have improved data and comprehensive monitoring systems, which include monitoring health inequalities such as those found in the European Cancer Inequalities Registry. To ensure population-level impact, JA PreventNCD was designed to address structural drivers at the population level in addition to targeting high-risk individuals. While interventions across the prevention spectrum are needed, interventions targeting individuals at risk tend to require more personal buy-in, with demands on cognitive and social resources. They therefore run the risk of widening inequalities. To improve health at a population level, it is vital that activities reduce, and with certainty do not increase, health inequalities. A health equity tool is therefore applied across interventions in JA PreventNCD to support the planning, implementation and evaluation of the project’s activities. JA PreventNCD is a unique EU investment in health promotion, NCD prevention and better equity outcomes across Europe, generating deliverables directly relevant for the CVD Plan: monitoring tools, tested best practices, policy recommendations and governance mechanisms. JA PreventNCD recommends that the interventions and initiatives below be included in the EU CVH Plan. These will contribute to lifelong prevention of CVDs and, in many cases, they will also reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity. The activities are evidence-based and supported by the Member States in the Consortium. This statement and recommendations build on inputs received from all work packages in JA PreventNCD. The recommended interventions are structured under three main areas: Early years health promotion and CVD prevention Reaching all by implementing population-level interventions Reaching individuals at risk and supporting personalized prevention
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/policy-statements-recommendations/statement-from-ja-preventncd-on-the-call-for-evidence-to-the-eu-cardiovascular-health-plan/
01.07.2025
From evidence to impact: a united call for equity-driven and sustainable action on NCDs
JACARDI, JA PreventNCD, WHO Europe, OECD and the European Commission’s DG SANTE have published a joint Comment in The Lancet Regional Health, based on the findings of the newly published report ‘Avoidable mortality, risk factors and policies for tackling NCDs: leveraging data for impact’, by WHO Europe. The Comment underscores the critical role of cross-national collaboration in translating WHO findings into actionable policies, with a focus on equity, data-driven solutions, and integrated care pathways. These organizations call for an accelerated, harmonised and equity-driven European agenda on non-communicable diseases.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/press-releases/from-evidence-to-impact-a-united-call-for-equity-driven-and-sustainable-action-on-ncds/
24.06.2025
Highlights from the JA PreventNCD annual meeting in Katowice, Poland
The JA PreventNCD project is gaining momentum across Europe, with several concrete outputs already taking shape. The project annual meeting took place on June 16-17 in Katowice, Poland. While priorities are shifting in today’s complex landscape, the prevention of noncommunicable diseases remains a top priority. Tackling persistent health inequalities and addressing social and commercial determinants of health in a structural way were highlighted as urgent tasks. Partners also emphasised the need to institutionalise stakeholder, youth, and population engagement, alongside strengthening monitoring systems as a basis for prioritising action. Evaluation and sustainability work is advancing steadily, ensuring the long-term impact of this collaborative effort.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/highlights-from-the-ja-preventncd-annual-meeting-in-katowice-poland/
08.05.2025
The CEIP-Framework – From Reaction to Prevention in Health in All and for Policies
This commentary highlights the critical role of Health in All Policies (HiAP), which is key to the complementary Health for All Policies strategy to enable positive outcomes across sectors and allow a broader policy integration. It discusses the impact of political determinants on the main public health risk factors related to tobacco, sugar, gambling and alcohol addressing the barriers hindering the implementation of HiAP in the example of Portugal. It highlights the need to funnel political determinants through a health equity framework to address inequalities. Inspired by the Portuguese experience, a CEIP-Framework is proposed to emphasize the need to strengthen HiAP, when a national agenda is absent. The CEIP-Framework considers comprehensive health legislation (C), enhanced reinforcement and monitoring (E), increased cross-sector collaboration (I), and public health investment (P) from Reaction to Prevention. In this commentary, the importance of strengthening HiAP by addressing four key public health challenges is discussed, by debating the impact of political determinants on health outcomes and proposing the CEIP-framework for fostering effective cross-sector collaboration in Portugal. Furthermore, this commentary gives insights related to barriers such as industry lobbying and cultural acceptance that hamper the effectiveness of health regulations targeting the key risk factors: tobacco, sugar, gambling, and alcohol and to propose a comprehensive framework for strengthening HiAP, emphasising the need for comprehensive health legislation, enhanced monitoring, increased cross-sector collaboration, and public health investment This work has been developed under the scope of WP9 Health in All Policies of the JA Prevent NCD which aims to strengthen the implementation of HiAP across various sectors and governance levels, focusing particularly on key risk factors and determinants to prevent cancer and other non-communicable diseases. Access the full commentary in The Public Health Reviews:Public Health Rev, 21 March 2025, Volume 46 - 2025 | DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2025.1608225
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/the-ceip-framework-from-reaction-to-prevention-in-health-in-all-and-for-policies/
07.05.2025
JA PreventNCD Participates in OECD Policy Dialogue on Cardiovascular Disease in the EU
On 5 May 2025, JA PreventNCD participated in the OECD Policy Dialogue on the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in the EU, held in Paris, France. The event was part of an ongoing effort to strengthen European and broader international approaches to preventing and managing CVD. Hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the meeting brought together a broad group of stakeholders, including representatives from governments across the EU and other OECD countries, as well as civil society organisations and intergovernmental bodies. The aim of the dialogue was to inform a forthcoming OECD report exploring how countries are addressing the burden of CVD — Europe’s leading cause of death — and what more can be done to improve both population-level and individual health outcomes. To ensure that stakeholder priorities are reflected in the report, several organisations and projects were invited to contribute, including JA PreventNCD and JACARDI. Both initiatives were asked to share their perspectives and priorities related to reducing the burden of CVD and improving health outcomes across Europe. As a joint action co-funded by the European Union with over 100 partner organisations in 25 countries, JA PreventNCD was pleased to provide insights on the prevention of CVD as part of its broader mission to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Linda Granlund, Project Coordinator of JA PreventNCD and Director of Public Health at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, presented the project’s current work and strategic approach. She underscored the importance of addressing shared risk factors, such as unhealthy diets, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity, which contribute to both cardiovascular diseases and other NCDs. She also highlighted the critical role of policy-based and population-level approaches in reducing risk and improving health equity. JA PreventNCD welcomes the OECD’s focus on this topic and will continue to follow the development of the report, contributing relevant experiences and insights from our ongoing work whenever invited.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/ja-preventncd-participates-in-oecd-policy-dialogue-on-cardiovascular-disease-in-the-eu/
26.03.2025
Quick Buys for Long-Term Gains: WHO Identifies 25 Fast-Acting Policies to Reduce the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases
The global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses continues to rise, placing immense pressure on health systems, economies, and communities. In the WHO European Region, NCDs account for the vast majority of deaths and represent one of the biggest obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For over a decade, the WHO has recommended a package of “best buys” evidence-based, cost-effective interventions to reduce exposure to the key NCD risk factors: tobacco and alcohol use, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity. Yet, the implementation of these best buys has been slow and uneven across countries, and progress toward global targets remains off track. To bridge the gap between policy and action, a new publication from WHO/Europe introduces the concept of “Quick Buys” a refined set of interventions that deliver measurable population health impacts within five years, aligning with typical political and electoral cycles. “Policymakers often face short time horizons. This can be a barrier to adopting NCD policies that are perceived to take too long to show results. The Quick Buys address that by identifying interventions that are not only effective and affordable but also fast-acting.”— Dr. Kremlin Wickramasinghe, WHO Europe What Are Quick Buys? Selected based on strong evidence and their ability to show results within five years, these interventions focus on reducing exposure to risk factors and improving treatment outcomes. Here are some key examples: Tobacco & Alcohol Control Smoke-free laws and increased tobacco taxes have immediate effects on health outcomes. Alcohol tax increases and advertising bans reduce total consumption quickly. Healthier Diets Front-of-pack nutrition labels help consumers make better choices immediately. Mass media campaigns promoting healthy eating show effects within 3 years. Chronic Disease Treatment Hypertension treatment can lower cardiovascular risk within 10 days. Early diabetes control and statin use reduce mortality and complications rapidly. Cancer Prevention HPV vaccination for girls and early cervical cancer screening have immediate population-level impact. JA PreventNCD Supports Swift Action on NCDs As the 2030 deadline for the SDGs approaches, including Target 3.4 (reducing premature NCD mortality by one-third), countries must accelerate implementation. Yet policymakers are frequently constrained by political realities: budgets, lobbying pressures, and election cycles. The WHO Quick Buys aim to shift the conversation: away from long-term, abstract benefits toward concrete, near-term health gains. These interventions show that real progress is possible within a single electoral term, offering a politically feasible pathway to meet global health targets. “These Quick Buys show that investing in prevention doesn’t have to mean waiting decades to see results. With the right political will and intersectoral collaboration, countries can deliver real, measurable health benefits within five years—and JA PreventNCD is working to make that happen,”- Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator, JA PreventNCD. For countries participating in the JA PreventNCD, the Quick Buys offer a credible set of policy options to prioritize based on evidence and impact. They also provide a practical pathway to demonstrate early success showing measurable health improvements within a few years while continuing to build momentum for broader, long-term reforms. The JA PreventNCD was represented by Hanna Tolonen, leader of the Health in All Policies work in JA PreventNCD at the event. She highlighted the critical role of monitoring systems in ensuring the effectiveness and equity of public health interventions, allowing us to track progress and make informed decisions about where to focus future efforts. In public health, time matters The new Quick Buys framework doesn’t replace the need for long-term investment, but it shows that smart policy decisions can have swift, measurable, and lasting effects. For countries seeking to meet their commitments under the SDGs and reduce the burden of NCDs, these 25 interventions offer a clear place to start today. Access the full study in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe:Quick Buys for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, March 2025DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101281
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/quick-buys-for-long-term-gains-who-identifies-25-fast-acting-policies-to-reduce-the-burden-of-non-communicable-diseases/