This work programme part is the first for the Health Cluster under Horizon Europe’s new strategic plan for 2025-2027. It reflects a detailed review of the first four years of Horizon Europe (2021-2024), identifying funding gaps, emerging research needs and future challenges. It aligns with the European Commission’s Political Guidelines for 2024-2029, focusing on strengthening healthcare resilience, leveraging biotechnology and artificial intelligence, and addressing public health needs including supporting the development of critical medicines. Research and innovation are key to achieving these goals, especially in healthcare.
The Health Cluster work programme part for 2025 will take the first stride in addressing the needs and challenges identified in the strategic plan for 2025-2027 and support the objectives set by the European Commission’s Political Guidelines for 2024-2029. It focuses on key areas such as the health impacts from pollution and environmental degradation, supporting policies like the European Green Deal and the Zero Pollution Action Plan. It will also address non-communicable diseases, mental health, pandemic preparedness, and antimicrobial resistance, which is a critical medicine area. This includes new treatment options, AI-based tools for pandemic response, and the European Partnership for Brain Health, as well as measures to improve the quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, the programme aims to enhance healthcare efficiency, patient engagement, and trust in AI tools, in line with the European care strategy and the digital transformation of health and care in the EU. It will support biotechnology and AI to improve healthcare, including cellular and cell-free therapeutic approaches, generative AI models for biomedical research, and bridging the gap between pre-clinical and clinical development. Additionally, it will advance manufacturing processes for medical devices and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products, supporting the EU Industrial Policy, ensuring the security of supply and resilience of the single market, fostering industrial competitiveness, and promoting sustainable practices. By aiming to improve regulatory processes and accelerate market access for innovative medicines, this work programme part also aligns with recommendations outlined in the Draghi report.
Destination “Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society”, or ‘STAYHLTH’: quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities,
Destination “Living and working in a health-promoting environment” or ‘ENVHLTH’: impact of pollution on the development and progression of brain diseases and disorders, impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on human health
Destination “Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden”, or ‘DISEASE’: phage therapy testing, antibodies and antibody-derived proteins, Leveraging artificial intelligence for pandemic preparedness and response, GloPID-R, health systems for equitable high-quality care, innovative interventions for mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders,
Destination “Ensuring equal access to innovative, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare”, or ‘CARE’: End user-driven application of Generative Artificial Intelligence models in healthcare,
Destination “Developing and using new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society”, or ‘TOOL’: genomic techniques, cell secretome-based therapies, multimodal data to advance Generative Artificial Intelligence applicability in biomedical research, translation of biotech research into innovative health therapies
Destination “Maintaining an innovative, sustainable, and competitive EU health industry”, or ‘IND’: manufacturing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products, conformity assessment procedures of medical and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, multinational clinical studies of orphan devices
Projects funded under Horizon Europe usually last from 12 to 48 months. The expected EU contribution per project ranges from EUR 2M to 20M.
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
– the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
– the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
– countries associated to Horizon Europe listed here : https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf
– low- and middle-income countries listed here : https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf
Unless otherwise provided for in the specific call conditions, only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as
beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
– at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
– at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Country
