Joint Action on CARdiovascular diseases and DIabetes (JACARDI)

The Joint Action on CARdiovascular diseases and DIabetes (JACARDI) of the European Union supports European countries in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes, at both individual and health system levels. This represents a significant step forward in the fight against these diseases.

The initiative brings together 21 European countries, involving 76 partners and over 300 public health experts. JACARDI has six focus areas to cover the entire patient journey. The experts assigned to these areas are grouped into 11 project teams, also known as Work Packages (WP). The Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) plays an important role in this ambitious project by participating, along with the Health Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12) – SERMAS, in the design and implementation of 4 pilot projects addressing issues such as gender differences in health or self-care assistance in patients with CVD.

Héctor Bueno, co-director of the working group, coordinator of the clinical area of hospitalization and research at the Cardiology Service of Hospital 12 de Octubre, and leader of a research group at CNIC; together with Fátima Sánchez-Cabo, Head of the Bioinformatics Unit at CNIC, are the representatives leading the projects from CNIC. The Communication Department at CNIC is also involved in JACARDI, supporting communication leads and all partners in the implementation of the Communication and Dissemination Strategy for the JACARDI project, with the purpose of propagating the project’s goals, achievements and impact across Europe.

JACARDI's approach prioritizes addressing complex health challenges inclusively, with a focus on social and commercial determinants of health, cultural diversity, and equity. The project will identify key social dimensions of inequalities in CVD and diabetes, and a common methodology will be developed for implementation and evaluation of the pilot projects. JACARDI emphasizes local and transnational cooperation, knowledge-sharing and application, and endorses sustainable practices for impactful outcomes, including effective co-design between science and policy.

Moreover, it promotes gender equity in public health leadership, advocating for a collaborative and inclusive governance model that empowers younger generations and fosters healthier, more resilient, and fair communities for millions of Europeans.

JACARDI has received funding from the EU4Health Programme 2021-2027 under Grant Agreement 101126953.