Every year, 25,000–30,000 children and young people in Europe are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Thirty years ago, that number was half as high.
For 100 years, insulin has been the only answer. Now, new treatments and scientific advances mean we can begin to delay the disease before it fully develops. But scientific breakthroughs alone are not enough.
In an opinion piece in Sundhedsmonitor on 19 February 2026, MEP Stine Bosse and Finn Stensbjerg Kristensen call for a common European action plan for T1D – not to replace national health systems, but to provide political direction, coordination, and shared ambition.
T1D is one of the most demanding autoimmune diseases. It often strikes in childhood and changes lives overnight – for the individual, for families, and for society. The societal burden is significant, and yet Europe still lacks a coordinated response.
Today, efforts remain fragmented. Some countries, like Italy, have introduced national screening legislation. In Denmark and Sweden, DiaUnion is testing and building real-world infrastructure for early detection. Knowledge exists – but it largely develops in parallel rather than in coordination across countries.
This is why a coordinated European framework for early detection is essential and should include:
- Public anchoring of screening programmes
- Faster pathways for innovative treatments
- Closer collaboration between research, clinics, policymakers and industry
Through DiaUnion, we have been building this foundation since 2020 – developing best practices for testing protocols, laboratory analysis, database structures, and implementation models. And our ambition is clear:
We must share our experience so that more clinics and countries can act now.
We are encouraged by the growing European momentum – from EDENT1FI, INNODIA and the European Diabetes Forum (EUDF) to political engagement at EU level. This gives new strength to our ambition to scale Nordic knowledge and collaboration across Europe and beyond.
The paradigm is shifting. Now policy must follow.
Read the full article (in Danish): Stine Bosse og diabetesdirektør: Børn og familier rammes unødigt hårdt af, at EU mangler en plan for type 1-diabetes
