The official launch of the European Partnership for Brain Health took place in Paris on 18 May 2026, marking an important milestone for the future of brain research and innovation across Europe. Hosted at the Musée National de la Marine, the kick-off meeting brought together representatives from more than 30 countries, alongside leading voices from science, research, innovation, policy, psychiatry, neurology, and neurosensory disorders, reflecting the scale and ambition of this new European initiative.

Representing the patient community, European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA) Executive Director, Dr. Orla Galvin, had the privilege of participating in a high-level panel discussion focused on the future direction of brain health research and the critical importance of ensuring that innovation delivers meaningful outcomes for people living with neurological conditions.

Throughout the discussion, Orla emphasised that scientific excellence and lived experience must go hand in hand. While Europe is entering an exciting new era of investment in brain health research, there is enormous added value in ensuring that patient voices are embedded from the outset — not as an afterthought, but as a core component of shaping research priorities, innovation pathways, and healthcare outcomes.
Drawing on real-world examples from migraine, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, and Parkinson’s disease, she highlighted how lived experience helps bring research conversations to life and strengthens the understanding of unmet need across the neurological community.
Orla spoke about the significant diagnostic delays still experienced by people living with conditions such as migraine and epilepsy, despite the major impact these conditions can have on education, employment, independence, and quality of life. I also highlighted the urgent need for continued investment in improved diagnostics and more effective treatment options for progressive and highly complex neurological conditions including Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, where many patients continue to experience unpredictable disease progression, fluctuating symptoms, and limited therapeutic options.
She further noted that conditions such as Myasthenia Gravis are still frequently misunderstood or misdiagnosed, including in some cases being mistaken for multiple sclerosis due to overlapping neurological symptoms. This reinforced the importance of improving diagnostic pathways, increasing awareness of neurological conditions, and accelerating research that can support earlier and more accurate diagnosis for patients.
Importantly, Orla raised the need for greater understanding of how biological and hormonal factors can influence neurological conditions and treatment response. Hormonal changes can significantly impact symptom severity, disease management, and the effectiveness or tolerability of therapies across a range of neurological conditions, yet these factors are still insufficiently reflected in research design, clinical trials, and treatment pathways. Greater investment in personalised and precision-based approaches to treatment will therefore be essential if we are to improve outcomes for patients.

Several Member State representatives and stakeholders shared positive feedback following the panel discussion, noting that the inclusion of lived experience examples and specific neurological conditions helped bring the discussion to life, grounded the scientific debate in real-world challenges, and created stronger connections between research priorities and patient need. The discussions reinforced a growing recognition that patient involvement is not simply desirable — it is essential. Research becomes more relevant, more impactful, and more capable of delivering meaningful innovation when linked directly to lived experience.

The European Partnership for Brain Health represents one of the most ambitious collaborative initiatives in brain research to date, bringing together researchers, clinicians, innovators, policymakers, patients, and citizens with the shared aim of accelerating progress in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. With a planned budget approaching €500 million under Horizon Europe, the Partnership has the potential to transform the future of brain health across Europe and beyond.

The event benefited from the participation of Kasia Jurczak from the European Commission, Head of Unit for Combating Diseases, whose involvement reflected the increasing recognition at EU level that brain health must be prioritised within Europe’s broader health, research, and innovation agenda. Her contribution reinforced the importance of collaboration between policymakers, researchers, clinicians, innovators, and patient organisations in driving forward meaningful progress for people living with neurological and mental health conditions.

EFNA remains fully committed to supporting the European Partnership for Brain Health and to ensuring that the neurological patient community continues to play an active and influential role in shaping the future of brain health research in Europe. We reiterated EFNA’s continued dedication, engagement, and commitment to the Partnership and to prioritising research that delivers meaningful improvements for people living with neurological conditions. Through collaboration and sustained patient involvement, we look forward to helping shape a future where advances in brain health research translate into earlier diagnosis, more effective and personalised treatments, and better quality of life for all those affected by neurological conditions.