Evaluating existing screening and prevention programmes

Specific challenge: Some existing population based screening and disease prevention programmes have not been assessed for their effectiveness, or vary in terms of their application within and across countries throughout Europe. This may result in inappropriate interventions, delayed provision of the correct treatment, increased disease burden, health inequities and increased costs for health and care systems.

Such programmes therefore need systematic evaluation for their impact on health outcomes, cost effectiveness and health equity.

Scope: Proposals should assess existing screening and disease prevention strategies and programmes, on the basis of health outcomes, quality-of-life, equity and cost-effectiveness and ethical considerations, at the level of the individual or stratified population groups and across Europe. The gender dimension should be taken into account where relevant.

Comparison between different countries and regions, demographic groups and cultures should be made in order to identify specific contextual links as well as to identify opportunities for exchange of knowledge and experience between countries and regions.

Proposals should include the development of new methods or the adaptation of existing ones for this type of assessment. These methods and tools (including self-assessment tools) should be applied in different health systems and organisational infrastructures to test their applicability in different political, economic and societal contexts.

Due attention should be paid from the outset to the further development and dissemination of methodological expertise, including capacity building across Europe, in order that the expertise generated is fully exploited.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 and 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact: This should provide:

         Evidence for the increased use, or discontinuation of, existing screening and prevention programmes allowing informed decisions by policymakers

         Capacity building in the assessment of such screening and prevention programmes

         Improved health outcomes, greater health equity and cost effectiveness based on the implementation of effective screening and prevention programmes.

Type of action: Research and innovation actions