Resilient health systems at the core of Gastein Forum's social contract rethink

As Europe works to strengthen its health systems, the discussions at this year’s European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG) centred on how to deliver equitable, outcome-driven care in times of uncertainty.

Under the theme “Rethinking solidarity in health: Healing Europe’s fractured social contract”, experts examined how defining and addressing unmet medical needs will shape future healthcare priorities, from which diseases receive funding and incentives to how access criteria are determined.

This special report explores how data, digitalisation and new policy initiatives can help rebuild trust and resilience in European healthcare.

Discussions highlighted that the real challenge ahead lies not only in developing the next breakthrough drug but in measuring what truly matters – improved patient outcomes and sustainable health systems. The forthcoming Critical Medicines Act was viewed by delegates as just one example of how the EU seeks to ensure secure access to essential medicines, contributing to a broader conversation on how to make Europe’s health systems more resilient and focused on outcomes.