EKHA Webinar “Building on 2026: Our Policy Priorities for 2027”
What does meaningful progress in kidney health policy look like, and how can national achievements help shape the European agenda for 2027?
As 2026 draws to a close, the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) invites policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient advocates and the wider kidney health community to join free webinar, “Building on 2026: Our Policy Priorities for 2027”.
Bringing together EKHA and its member organisations from across Europe, the webinar will reflect on policy developments over the past year, spotlight national efforts to advance kidney health, and explore the priorities and opportunities that lie ahead.
At the heart of the discussion will be a key question: How can progress achieved at national level inspire further policy action across Europe?
🗓 Wednesday, 16 December 2026
⏰ 16:00 – 17:30 CET, online
Turning policy priorities into tangible progress
Across Europe, kidney disease remains a major public health challenge, with important gaps in early detection, timely treatment and equitable access to quality care. Addressing these challenges requires sustained political commitment, effective prevention strategies and stronger collaboration between policymakers, healthcare professionals and patients.
Throughout 2026, EKHA and its member organisations have continued advocating for kidney health to receive greater attention in European and national health policies.
This webinar will provide an opportunity to take stock of progress, examine remaining challenges and look ahead to 2027. EKHA will outline its policy priorities for the coming year, maintaining a strong focus on early detection and treatment of kidney disease, alongside more equitable access to quality care for people living with kidney failure.
Importantly, the discussion will go beyond European-level advocacy to highlight the work of EKHA members at national level, including concrete policy developments, ongoing initiatives and ambitions for further change.
Spotlight on national kidney health policy developments
The webinar will feature contributions from EKHA member organisations working to improve kidney health policies in different national contexts.
Germany: Advancing access to kidney transplantation
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nephrologie (DGfN) will present its policy aims and actions to improve access to kidney transplantation in Germany, addressing an essential dimension of equitable kidney care.
Greece: Progress in integrating kidney disease screening into national prevention programmes
The Hellenic Society of Nephrology will share developments in Greece, where engagement with national health authorities has contributed to progress in kidney disease screening. Looking ahead, Greece’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2027 provides an additional context for discussions on the future of kidney health policy.
Since early 2026, referrals for free estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) testing have been available through the national prevention framework for citizens with a history of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease or obesity. This example offers an important opportunity to discuss how kidney health can be integrated into broader cardiovascular and metabolic disease prevention strategies.
France: Bringing kidney health into cardiovascular screening legislation
Prof. Sébastien Rubin, representing the Société Francophone de Néphrologie, Dialyse et Transplantation (SFNDT) will share his experience and insights on efforts to ensure that kidney screening is considered in French legislative initiatives addressing cardiovascular screening.
European patient advocacy: Rare kidney diseases and collaboration for 2027
The European Kidney Patients’ Federation (EKPF) will look ahead to its policy aims and proposed actions for 2027, focusing on rare kidney diseases and opportunities for collaboration across Europe. The contribution will also highlight IgAN Friends, illustrating the importance of bringing lived patient experience into policy discussions and helping ensure that patients’ perspectives inform future priorities.
Building momentum for 2027
While national health systems differ, many of the challenges facing people living with kidney disease are shared across Europe. By bringing together examples of national policy progress and ongoing advocacy, the webinar aims to encourage the exchange of experiences, strengthen collaboration and identify opportunities to translate promising approaches into broader policy action.
From kidney disease screening and prevention to transplantation and rare kidney diseases, the discussions will highlight the value of coordinated action across the kidney health community.
Join EKHA on 16 December to reflect on the achievements of 2026, learn from national policy initiatives and help build momentum for stronger kidney health policies in 2027.
