Highlights of the Health without Postcodes event at the European Parliament

ERN-EuroBloodNet was represented by our Scientific Coordinator, Dr María del Mar Mañú Pereira, who moderated the final exchange with Members of the European Parliament.

On 1 July 2026, ERN-EuroBloodNet participated in the high-level policy event "Health without Postcodes: Accelerating Access to Rare and Complex Disease Therapies in Europe", held at the European Parliament in Brussels as part of the Health Leadership Mission for Rare Diseases (HLM4RARE).

Co-hosted by Members of the European Parliament Vytenis Andriukaitis and Stine Bosse, together with the European Reference Networks (ERNs) and the Brains for Brain Foundation, the event brought together policymakers, institutional leaders, clinicians, patient representatives, industry stakeholders and the ERNs to discuss how to improve equitable and timely access to therapies for people living with rare and complex diseases across Europe.

MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis (Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, Lithuania): "Delivering equitable healthcare across Europe requires stronger cooperation between Member States, clear incentives for innovation, and an integrated European ecosystem to ensure access without postcode inequalities."

The event also coincided with another important milestone for the ERNs: on the same day, Dr María del Mar Mañú Pereira officially began her one-year term as Chair of the Coordinators of the 24 European Reference Networks, reinforcing ERN-EuroBloodNet's commitment to fostering collaboration and advancing high-quality care for people living with rare and complex diseases throughout Europe.

---