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Dear EUPHA Public Health Economics (EUPHA-ECO) members,
We are pleased to share the first EUPHA-ECO newsletter of 2026, covering updates from the first three months of the year. In this edition, we highlight key opportunities for our section in the run-up to the 19th European Public Health Conference in Bilbao, relevant news on health systems, prevention, digital health and health policy, selected funding and event opportunities, open positions in health economics, and recent publications from our members.
The first months of 2026 have already shown how important public health economics remains in current debates: from health system resilience and workforce capacity to digital health, AI, prevention, obesity, equity, and the economics of investing in health and wellbeing.
As always, please feel free to or our section email: .
Looking ahead to Bilbao
The new year has started at full speed across the European public health community, and we are especially looking ahead to the , which will take place in Bilbao, Spain, from 10–13 November 2026, under the theme “Urban and global synergies: shaping the future of public health with climate resilience, equity and innovation.” Abstract submission is open, and the deadline is Conference registration opens 1 April 2026.
We strongly encourage EUPHA-ECO members to submit abstracts, workshops, and other contributions so that public health economics is again strongly represented in Bilbao. The conference theme offers many natural entry points for our section, including prevention economics, health inequalities, fiscal and commercial determinants of health, climate and health, digital transformation, health system resilience, and methods for priority setting and evaluation.
News on health systems, policies, prevention, and digital health
Several March updates are particularly relevant for EUPHA-ECO members.
From the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
- The Observatory highlighted a new book, , aimed at making AI in the health sector more accessible while addressing ethics, safety, bias and governance.
- It also featured a new which argues that health should be understood as a strategic investment generating wider returns across sectors, including productivity, equity and climate resilience.
- In addition, new policy work addressed , , and and . These are highly relevant for ongoing debates on system performance, resource allocation and resilience.
AI and digital health
- The ERC has published a new overview showing how frontier research is advancing , covering 238 ERC-funded projects using AI approaches in health.
- The European Commission’s Observatory for Digital Health Technologies in Europe has released a , emphasizing both the scale-up potential of digital health, and persistent structural problems, such as fragmentation, interoperability gaps, reimbursement instability, and dependence on non-European suppliers. Particularly relevant for health economists is the report’s emphasis on productivity effects, market growth, and the economic case for scaling technologies beyond pilot phases.
Health promotion, equity, and prevention
- At the March EPSCO Council, ministers adopted conclusions on and strengthening action on child poverty and wellbeing.
- , including healthier food environments, affordable healthy food, nutrition education and fiscal measures.
- The European Commission also presented its , which for the first time includes gender health as a dedicated policy area.
- EuroHealthNet additionally supported the aimed at putting prevention and environmental and social determinants more centrally into EU policymaking.
Health systems and workforce
- The health workforce remains high on the European agenda. The Observatory and EHMA both stressed the need for a stronger , linking shortages, preparedness, retention and health security. This is a particularly important agenda for EUPHA-ECO, given the need for stronger economic evidence on workforce planning, incentives, training, retention, and productivity.
Courses and conferences
Conferences
- are open until 1 May 2026, 18:00 CET.
- which will take place at the University of Iceland in Reykjavík, 19–21 August 2026. The abstract deadline is Thursday, 9 April 2026.
- , which will take place at Tatranska Lomnica, High Tatras, Slovakia, 9-11 September 2026. The abstract deadline is Thursday, 15 April 2026.
Courses
- Economic Evaluation Modelling Using R – 4 day online short course, 28 April – 1 May 2026. Find out more & book a place:
- Summer School 2026: Inequalities in Health and Healthcare, July 6–10, 2026, Online, More information & registration:
- on “Paying for health care in the face of fiscal constraints”, with applications open until capacity is reached or 31 May 2026.
- Summer school: Bayesian methods in health economics (UCL, London, UK), 15-19 June 2026. More information can be found at the summer school .
- Burden of Disease Summer School program with 3 different courses will happen between 12-28 August 2026 in Ghent, Belgium. More information on the .
Job positions
- , posted 30 March 2026
- posted 23 March 2026.
- posted in late March 2026.
Do not hesitate to for inclusion in future newsletters.
Recent papers
- Bártová A, Samek J, Pinheiro V, Říhová B, Santos JV. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. 2026;24(2):343–364.
- Kashem M, et al., Ali S. . Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy. 2026;18(1):26.
- Santos AR, von Hafe F, Sampaio F, Londral AR, Perelman J.. Value in Health. 2026;29(2):311–323.
We are very interested in knowing what you are working on! if you would like us to share your recent publications in future issues.
Filipa Sampaio, MPH, PhD () – EUPHA-ECO Steering Committee member
João Vasco Santos, MD MPH PhD () – EUPHA-ECO President
Vanessa Gorasso, MSc () – EUPHA-ECO Vice-President
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