About JA PreventNCD

Cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant portion of the disease burden in Europe, much of which is preventable. The Joint Action Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD) project is designed to address this challenge by supporting strategies and policies that aim to reduce the burden of cancer and NCDs, focusing on both personal and societal risk factors.

The project's major goal is to minimize fragmentation and duplication of efforts and to engage national authorities at various levels to enhance the impact of actions taken. A significant aspect is the rigorous evaluation of these actions to assist authorities in prioritizing the most effective prevention strategies. This will contribute to achieving global targets in reducing the NCD burden​​.

A key objective is to tackle social inequalities by addressing the root causes of NCD risk factors and adopting a life-course approach. The project aims to build a comprehensive European infrastructure for monitoring factors related to cancer and other NCDs. This includes building on existing knowledge and exploring new methods for monitoring risk factors, disease burden, and the impact of policies and interventions​​.

The project aligns with the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the 'Healthier Together – EU NCD Initiative'. Activities are organized through mandatory work packages, focusing on coordination, dissemination, evaluation, policy integration, and technical areas like social inequality and health policies. These activities are supported by research evidence on the causes of cancer and other NCDs and effective intervention strategies. Moreover, four Action Grants are connected to this JA: ELISAH, FILTERED, PEACHD and Showup4Health.

The overall and specific objectives of JA PreventNCD are influenced by the priority actions in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative – Healthier Together. The project emphasizes that health is created by policies across sectors, and thus, it is crucial to consider the health and health equity implications of these policies. Addressing socioeconomic disparities and social determinants that influence exposure to major risk factors for cancer and NCDs is vital for this initiative​​.

The aim of JA PreventNCD is to support Member States in implementing effective cancer and NCD prevention strategies. This involves a coordinated approach across six technical work packages, addressing health determinants common to cancer and NCDs, and assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of various prevention methods across Europe​​.