From risk to action: Preventing liver health crises through NCD literacy and care

The European Liver Patients’ Association (ELPA) successfully organised a high-level policy event titled “From Risk to Action: Preventing Liver Health Crises through NCD Literacy and Care” at the European Parliament in Brussels on December 4, 2025.

The event brought together patients, policymakers, clinicians, public health experts, and researchers to tackle an urgent challenge: how to prevent liver disease by improving public awareness, early detection, and coordinated care across Europe. Hosted in collaboration with Members of the European Parliament and supported by scientific bodies, the day highlighted the growing burden of liver diseases — from metabolic dysfunction-associated conditions to alcohol-related damage — and their place within the broader non-communicable disease (NCD) agenda. ELPA played a pivotal role in giving patients a platform to share their experiences, making the issue real and urgent for policymakers. The event spotlighted how individuals living with liver conditions often encounter delays in diagnosis and barriers to care — gaps that could be closed by better health literacy and more coordinated systems. Real-world testimonies, paired with scientific insights, underscore the importance of prevention, not just treatment, in Europe’s health policies. A key outcome from the Brussels meeting was a renewed call to integrate liver health into EU-level prevention frameworks and NCD policies, ensuring that public awareness campaigns, screening programmes, and care pathways are strengthened across Member States. ELPA’s leadership in organizing this event reflects the association’s ongoing advocacy to place liver disease at the heart of European health agendas and to empower patients with knowledge and resources for better health outcomes. Read about the event here.