Vaccines may cut heart disease risk

In early 2026, European health policy split in two directions. Measles returned in six countries that had previously eliminated it, while the European Commission set aside €225 million to develop improved influenza vaccines. These new vaccines are designed to cover more variants, adjust rapidly to pandemic strains, and make administration easier.

The European Medicines Agency approved the first combined vaccine for people aged 50 and older, offering protection against both seasonal influenza and COVID-19.

Vaccination’s missing role in cardiovascular prevention

A draft report from the European Parliament’s SANT Committee on an EU cardiovascular diseases strategy, released in January, left out a major preventive measure: vaccination against respiratory infections. This oversight contrasts with the European Commission’s EU Safe Hearts Plan, which includes immunization as a way to lower cardiovascular disease risk.

The plan suggests a Council Recommendation to make this approach official. The Parliament’s draft, however, makes no mention of it, even though evidence increasingly links respiratory infections to heart problems. Influenza and COVID-19, for instance, can cause inflammation that stresses the cardiovascular system, especially in older adults or those with existing conditions.

The gap has caught the attention of advocacy groups, including Cittadinanzattiva–Active Citizenship Network, an Italian NGO with an EU office. On March 18, the group will hold a policy dialogue in Brussels titled “Council recommendation on the value of immunisation against respiratory infections: a step towards an EU Respiratory Health Plan?” The session, backed by Cypriot MEP Michalis Hadjipantela and the MEPs Interest Group on European Patients’ Rights & Cross-border Healthcare, seeks to persuade the Parliament to revise its stance before the draft reaches a plenary vote in mid-June.

Respiratory health has often been overlooked in broader health strategies. Previous EU frameworks treated lung and heart health as distinct issues, despite their overlapping risks. The current discussion echoes earlier efforts to include preventive steps—like quitting smoking—in cardiovascular policies, which initially emphasized treatment and lifestyle changes. Vaccination offers a cost-effective way to address both areas.

The dialogue will bring together scientists, academics, patient groups, and industry representatives. A Steering Group on Prevention of Respiratory Infections, which includes Active Citizenship Network, has already suggested changes to the draft report to match its Manifesto for Respiratory Health. Meanwhile, the EU Working Group on Respiratory Care, a coalition led by the same NGO and the RPP Group, has published a Call to Action to ensure respiratory health becomes part of the EU’s overall health strategy.

The event is included in the “Advancing Respiratory Care at the EU Level” project, supported by Pfizer through an unrestricted grant. Registration is free but mandatory, with space limited.

If the Parliament accepts the amendments, the EU could move toward a more connected approach to respiratory and cardiovascular health. The Safe Hearts Plan’s proposed Council Recommendation would shift focus from reactive to preventive care, though its impact depends on how quickly member states adopt it. For now, the priority is convincing lawmakers to recognize the link between vaccination and heart health—a connection well-documented in science but not yet reflected in policy.

The June vote may shape the EU’s next health strategy. Ignoring the evidence would mean missing a chance to reduce both respiratory infections and their cardiovascular effects. Acknowledging it could push the bloc toward a more unified, prevention-focused system.

Experts argue that integrating preventive measures into existing frameworks would strengthen long-term health outcomes.