A roadmap to resilience: Jacopo Andreose advocates for European investment in Mental Health

Approximately 1 in 6 people in Europe suffer from a Mental Health condition, with the prevalence of anxiety and depression rising in recent years. Determined by a range of complex and interconnected factors, in order to advance Mental Health in Europe it is essential that governments at all levels offer aligned and sustained support across policy areas.

In an Op-Ed for Euroactiv, an independent media network specialising in EU affairs, Jacopo Andreose (CEO of Angelini Pharma) discusses the impact of Mental Health on European societies and presents a compelling economic case for resilient healthcare systems that priorities Mental Health.

Reaffirming Angelini Pharma’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for those affected by Brain and Mental Health conditions, Andreose advocates for the provision of comprehensive and high-quality data on healthcare systems across Europe with the intention that this be used to inform policymaking.

Indeed, since 2017 Angelini Pharma has worked collaboratively with The European House Ambrosetti on the development of the Headway Initiative, which publishes an annual Mental Health Report containing a detailed analysis on Mental Health and care in Europe as well as a plan for addressing its challenges.

Set to be officially presented at the European Parliament in Brussels on 25th September 2024, Andreose shares that this year’s Headway Report will focus on avoidable government expenditures on Mental Health and how a fraction of spending could be better invested in prevention and associated services. Finding a tangible link between social expenditure, welfare programs and Mental Health, he also addresses how, despite substantiated improvements to healthcare systems’ responsiveness to Mental Health needs, the majority of member states continue to see a negative trend within schools, workplaces, and wider society.

Supporting the Headway Report’s recommendation that governments in the EU and UK increase investment in Mental Health as well as support the expansion of the Mental Health workforce, improvements in infrastructure, and enhancements in the quality of care, Andreose together with Angelini Pharma call upon policymakers to remain committed to initiatives that reduce the long-term impact and costs of Mental Health care in an inclusive and meaningful way.

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