Cardiovascular diseases are the biggest health challenge of our age. Through science, innovation and effective organization of care, we have been able to successfully intervene in acute cardiovascular events and have saved many lives. Due to aging, changing lifestyles and diabetes, however, the number of chronic heart patients is on the rise: almost 2 billion people in 2030, which is 33% more than today.
Twelve leading parties in research funding and patient care have joined forces in the Dutch Cardiovascular Alliance (DCVA). Our dream is to detect cardiovascular diseases earlier, to organize research and innovation smarter and bring down the disease burden by 25% in 2030. Public and private parties will do this together in consortia. The health impact of our work goes hand-in-hand with economic impact.
Mobilising 1 billion euros
Our dream is not out of reach. Technological progress – medical big data, high resolution imaging, molecular diagnostics, biotechnology, high-throughput sequencing, domotics, sensoring, and more – is opening new avenues for developing and implementing early detection and personalizing prevention and intervention. We will mobilize 1 billion euros over 10 years to get this done.
Taking action in 5 priority areas
A strong foundation has been laid, but we also believe that so much more impact can be achieved by the Dutch cardiovascular community by designing consortia around health, social and economic impact. To realize our ambitions, we will invest in creating an excellent and sustainable environment for cardiovascular breakthroughs, working on 5 priorities.
5 priorities
- Excellent science
- Fast tracks from lab to market
- Fast tracks from clinic to patient
- Career perspective for research talents
- Improve data infrastructure
Excellent science
Early recognition of heart disease is the biggest challenge. Helping patients as early as possible, brings down de disease burden and provides big improvements the quality of life. For early recognition we need excellent science. The good news: Dutch cardiovascular researchers rank among the best in the world. Existing scientific consortia have already proven success in the last decade, on a smaller scale.
Fast tracks from lab to market
Before a new medicine is ready to better the lives of patients, a lot has to be done. Sometimes taking all the necessary steps is a process of years. We will stimulate researchers to early bring experts and private parties together to help create fast tracks from lab to market.
Fast tracks from clinic to patient
The same goes for new solutions in hospitals and health care centres. To find treatment that is less intrusive or stressful and helps lowering health care costs, new methods and instruments are needed to help find signs of disease and measure progress. Caregivers have to be trained working with them safely. Planning and organising this earlier and better helps creating fast tracks in this domain too.
Training future top researchers
Training future top researchers is a responsibility of academic hospitals. DCVA will bring together supply and demand in this area and find funds. Creating PhD-research posts is priority at the moment. Young at heart, Crazy idea and Just do it! are successful first initiatives. Young scientists gain access to scholarships and are trained to think and act more like entrepreneurs.
Improve data infrastructure
By developing new databases and connecting exisiting ones, DCVA will do everything possible to make more data accessible for scientists. Platforms will be created to gather patient infomation. There will be a national registration of clinical trials. And the Dutch National Heart Bank, a storage for body tissue, is in formation.
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