Taylor Morris
Associate Director of Research and Policy, The Health Policy Partnership
Cancer has long been a priority for health systems and the public alike – and we should prioritise cardiovascular disease in the same way.
Cancer and cardiovascular disease combined cause more than half of all deaths in Europe, with cardiovascular conditions causing more deaths than any other.1 Despite the complex causes of both groups of conditions — which include a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors — cancer has often been prioritised. Huge opportunities for cardiovascular health are now at our fingertips.
Cancer is a top priority
Cancer has been a healthcare priority for decades. Since Richard Nixon declared a ‘war on cancer’ in the US in 1971, treatment has evolved from general chemotherapy to sophisticated targeted therapies.
Today, many countries and the European Union have strategies in place that provide funding for cancer research and delivery of targeted treatment as well as screening programmes, preventive policies and a cancer workforce. Although we still have a long way to go when it comes to prevention, survival has improved at an astounding rate: five-year survival for many cancers now exceeds 90%.2
As with cancer, we need to understand
cardiovascular disease as a
common and serious condition.
We can achieve similar wins in cardiovascular disease
While many countries lack a cardiovascular strategy, we may now be at a tipping point. A European cardiovascular health plan is in development and is expected to include recommendations for a health check. Scientific understanding of not only cardiovascular disease, but its links to diabetes and kidney disease, is exploding.
Cardiovascular disease can arise from many of the same environmental and lifestyle factors as cancer. Genetics play a key role, too. For example, inherited conditions like familial hypercholesterolaemia, which causes very high cholesterol from a young age, are underdiagnosed and lead to early cardiovascular deaths. These could be avoided with early detection, genetic testing and specialist treatment.
As with cancer, we need to understand cardiovascular disease as a common and serious condition. Following the example of the ongoing ‘war on cancer’, the public should demand genuine investment in research and the development of personalised screening and treatment. Alongside health system prioritisation, this approach could see improvement in quality of life and survivorship for millions.
[1] Eurostat. 2025. Causes of death statistics.
[2] European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. 2025. Cancer care 2025: an overview of cancer outcomes data across Europe.
