Optimal continence health is still a worldwide challenge. In Europe, around 55-60 million women and men suffer from continence health problems (bladder and bowel), and although optimal continence health should be a reality for everyone, this is not the case yet, even not in the European Union (EU). Furthermore, without policy change, the costs of continence care and the ecological impact will significantly increase in the coming years. Therefore, at the initiative of the European Association of Urology (EAU), the EAU Policy Office in cooperation with the EAU Patient Office, the International Continence Society (ICS), the World Federation of Incontinence and Pelvic Problems (WFIPP), the Sociedad IberoAmericana de NeuroUrologia y UroGinecologia (SINUG) and 19 other stakeholders, including the national urological societies within Europe, launched a campaign “An Urge to Act”, aiming at transforming EU Continence Health. As a first step in this campaign, a Manifesto for Policy Reform was prepared to organise and guarantee optimal continence health in the EU by policy action.

The manifesto, including ten action points, has been signed on November 8, 2023 by all stakeholders, including 8 high profile Euro-parliamentarians, and the action points are currently in the process of implementation.

This State-of-the-Art Lecture will explore the European Union's Continence Strategy in more details, offering valuable insights into it's implementation, challenges, and impact.

View Philip van Kerrebroeck's bio here