Preventing respiratory infections in an ageing Europe

Seasonal respiratory infections continue to place significant pressure on Europe’s health systems, contributing to recurrent winter surges in demand for care and avoidable hospitalisations. Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV disproportionately affect older adults and vulnerable populations, making stronger prevention and preparedness increasingly important as Europe’s population ages.

This livestreamed event at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Aurelijus Veryga (ECR, Lithuania), will bring together EU policymakers, national health authorities, payers, public health experts, clinicians, patient organisations and industry representatives to examine how Europe can respond to these challenges ahead of the next winter season. It is the third event in the Preventing Hospitalisation in Europe public health policy series, convened by Sanofi and the European Health Management Association (EHMA).

Keynote speakers will offer their perspectives on the role of prevention in supporting healthy ageing and health-system sustainability, while a moderated discussion will explore how the EU and its Member States can reduce avoidable hospitalisations by strengthening immunisation, early intervention and the integration of prevention into routine care.

Taking place on 13 October, the day before EU Respiratory Day, the event comes amid growing EU policy attention to prevention, healthy ageing and health-system resilience, including through initiatives such as the EU Safe Hearts Plan.

Building on the first two events in the series, the discussion will consider:

• Which policy levers can translate prevention and immunisation strategies into real-world protection for older adults and at-risk groups;
• How financing, incentives, governance, workforce capacity and delivery models can better support prevention and early intervention;
• Where EU-level coordination, data, guidance and frameworks can add the greatest value; and
• Which concrete policy actions should be prioritised ahead of the next winter season.

The event will culminate in the launch of the Preventing Hospitalisation in Europe Policy Outcome Report, translating insights from across the series into actionable recommendations for EU and national decision-makers.