Question: The cost of strokes to the EU  
 
According to current studies, the number of strokes in the EU could rise to 1.5 million per year by 2025. Thousands of preventable strokes leave many patients either mentally and physically disabled or dead. Moreover, existing disposition, as well as chronic and severe illnesses (Alzheimer's, diabetes, etc.), increase the chances of having a stroke and aggravate the severity of complications after a stroke.

It has been estimated that the economic burden of stroke on the European economy is a staggering EUR 38 billion per annum and this clearly stretches our healthcare systems. The economic burden this creates accounts for 2–3% of total healthcare expenditure in the European Union.

Taking into consideration (a) the increasing longevity and growth in the proportion of older people in Europe, (b) the increased risks of people suffering from severe and chronic illnesses of having a stroke and the increased number of people suffering from these illnesses in Europe and (c) the resulting pressure on public finances and private productivity due to mounting health expenditure:

Does the Commission have figures on individual Member State expenditure incurred to cope with disability resulting from stroke, including medical and social care costs as well as indirect costs such as loss of productivity? In the framework of the strategy for chronic or severe diseases, would the Commission consider addressing stroke prevention, including the link between stroke and other conditions such as AF and Alzheimer's? Will the Commission make additional research funding available to finance research in the area of stroke?

Can the Commission provide the European Parliament with an estimation of the savings that would result through preventing, rather than treating stroke and the conditions that cause stroke?

Answer given by Mr Dalli on behalf of the Commission

The Commission does not dispose of figures on individual Member State expenditure incurred to address disability resulting from stroke, including medical and social care costs, as well as indirect costs such as loss of productivity. Data on this has been published by the European Heart Network for the year 2006(1).

A comparison of treatment, costs and outcomes in 17 countries, including some Member States, has also been produced by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)(2).

On 7 December 2010 the Council adopted Conclusions on ‘innovative approaches for chronic diseases in public health and healthcare systems’, calling upon the Commission to initiate a reflection process on chronic diseases engaging Member States and stakeholders(3).

At present, the Commission is supporting research relating to stroke prevention through the 7th Framework Programme for Research 2007‑13(4) with EUR 24 million devoted to stroke research(5) and EUR 12 million to the research on atrial fibrilation(6), which includes studies on links between those two pathologies.

The Commission does not have data on the savings that would result by preventing, rather than treating stroke.

(1) European cardiovascular diseases statistics 2008 edition, European Heart Network, http://www.ehnheart.org/component/downloads/downloads/683.html
(2) Moon, L., P. Moïse and S. Jacobzone (2003), ‘Stroke Care in OECD Countries: A Comparison of Treatment, Costs and Outcomes in 17 Countries’, OECD Health Working Papers, No 5, OECD Publishing, http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/stroke-care-in-oecd-countries_380362605045
(3) Council Conclusions ‘Innovative approaches for chronic diseases in public health and healthcare systems’, 3053rd Employment, Social Policy Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 7 December 2010 http://www.eutrio.be/files/bveu/118282.pdf
(4) Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), Cooperation programme, Health theme: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/health/home_en.html
(5) European Stroke Network (http://www.europeanstrokenetwork.eu/); EIS project ‘Development of a European Implementation Score for measuring implementation of research into healthcare practice using vascular disease as an example’ (http://eisproject.com/)
(6) EUTRAF project ‘The European Network for Translational Research in Atrial Fibrillation’ (http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=FP7_PROJ_EN&ACTION=D&DOC=1&CAT=PROJ&QUERY=012de6007404:8682:0ec8a9b2&RCN=96749 )