BRUSSELS, July 8, 2026 – Facing approximately 1 million avoidable deaths per year among people under 75 in the European Union, the transition from a reactive, treatment-based healthcare system to a proactive model founded on personalised prevention is a documented priority for public health agendas.

On July 8, at the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, the Final Conference of the EU-funded PROPHET project was held to present and review the outcomes of four years of collaborative research.

The event brought together representatives from all 18 members of the multidisciplinary PROPHET consortium, spanning 12 European countries. Their participation reflected a strong collaborative effort across universities, research infrastructures, public institutions, and citizens’ and patients’ organisations.

The event also welcomed a broad range of stakeholders, including policymakers, genomics experts, representatives of the European Commission, the WHO, and national Ministries of Health, as well as patient advocacy groups.

Conference Key Points:

• Sharing project outcomes: Presentation of the 10 critical challenges identified by the project to guide policymakers in the implementation of personalised prevention.

• Evidence, Empowerment, and Equity: The three guiding principles discussed to ensure scientific innovation produces a tangible impact on public health.

• From theory to practice: The shared requirement to embed scientific evidence into structured clinical practices, while addressing regional fragmentation and ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI).

Project Coordinator Prof. Stefania Boccia (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) and Prof. Roberta Pastorino outlined the research findings, highlighting the necessity to update Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Health Impact Assessment (HIA) frameworks, as well as to develop interoperable data infrastructures.

"It will not happen without us taking action," stated Maria Pilar Aguar Fernandez, Director at the European Commission's DG Research and Innovation. "Now that we have the evidence, it is time for implementation: we must literally 'anchor the roadmap to wheels' to bring it into everyday healthcare practice".

Marco Marsella (Director at DG SANTE) noted that digital innovation and prevention must be integrated within national action plans, carefully monitoring the financial impact on health systems. During the institutional roundtable, Sergio Iavicoli, General Director for Prevention at the Italian Ministry of Health, detailed Italy's progress through its recent national genomic strategy.

Representatives from civic organisations reiterated that personalised prevention requires public trust for successful implementation. To promote health literacy and a citizen-centred approach, the consortium presented the Capacity Building Toolbox, a practical resource featuring plain-language materials designed for citizens and associations.

Thank you to all the speakers and participants for this great moment we spent all together and the valuable discussions we had around one common topic "personalised prevention".

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, BBMRI-ERIC, Universiteit Gent, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), G.A.C. Group (GAC) France, European Patients' Forum, University of Tartu, Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos (THL), Debreceni Nyári Egyetem, Allelica, Inc, Cittadinanzattiva APS, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red CIBER, Karolinska Institutet, EMBL, EUPHA - European Public Health Association, Stichting VUmc, Amsterdam UMC

All project materials, including strategic documents, plain-language factsheets, event presentations, and the Capacity Building Toolbox, are freely accessible and available on the official PROPHET website: www.prophetproject.eu