JADE Health (JA)

• More than 7,500 citizens will be involved in 44 pilot actions foreseen during the project.
• The project will receive 5 million euro during three years involving 47 entities from 17 countries.
• More than 2,000,000 citizens will be reached to increase awareness and reduce the stigma associated with these diseases.

The overarching objective of JADE Health aims to improve prevention, early detection and management of dementia and other neurological disorders, thus reducing health inequalities and addressing the needs of vulnerable population. This will be achieved through evidence-based exchange of best practice to ensure sustainability, placing a strong emphasis on prevention and early detection and involves the implementation of a new diagnosis and treatment model leveraging cutting-edge technology. JADE Health adopts a comprehensive and holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on multiple dimensions of well-being. These include enhancing health literacy, raising awareness about dementia, and promoting early detection through screening and primary prevention, particularly among high-risk populations. The project is committed to supporting individuals living with dementia or other neurological disorders by fostering early intervention and improving education. Furthermore, JADE Health seeks to elevate societal awareness of dementia by providing targeted education to relatives, care professionals, and other key stakeholders.

Mental disorders pose a significant public health challenge due to their prevalence, impact on quality of life and economic burden, calling for demanding policy action. According to WHO data, mental health issues cost the EU €600 billion annually, equivalent to 4.1% of GDP. The pandemic has further exacerbated this crisis, particulary affecting young people and those with pre-existing conditions.

In parallel, the global aging population continues to grow, with 9% of people currently over 64 years old. The United Nations (UN) projects that by 2050, this figure will increase to 16%, meaning that one in six people will be over 64 years old (UN 2019; Yang, Zheng, and Zhao 2021). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as dementia and other neurological disorders, considered the seventh leading cause of death and the main cause of dependency among the elderly, being present in 70% of cases. Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurological disorder associated with dementia, accounting for 60-70% of all dementia cases, currently affecting over 55 million individuals worldwide. The pandemic has placed additional pressures on people’s mental health, especially among the young and those with pre-existing mental health conditions.

To address these challenges, the European Commission has prioritized mental health alongside physical health, introducing 20 flagship initiatives supported by €1.23 billion in funding from different financial instruments. The Joint Action JADE Health – Joint Action addressing DEmentia and HEALTH – is one of these projects designed to integrate validated best practices and/or (cost-)effective interventions across countries and regions through transnational pilot initiatives, complementing and reinforcing existing policies and programs.

The project partners – institutions from 17 countries, including  22 Affiliated Entities (AE) and 8 Associated partners (AP) – as well as major stakeholders gathered on 12-13th February 2025, in Merida, Spain, for a kick-off event of the Joint Action JADE Health. The event was organised by the Fundacion Para La Formacion e Investigacion de los Profesionales de la Salud de Extremadura (FUNDESALUD), the lead partner and coordinator of the consortium.

The Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS participates in the JADE Health initiative as an Affiliated Entity. IBB PAN will be involved in the execution of tasks related to the detection of neurocognitive disorders using biomarkers and the development of new models of social care. The groups of Prof. Tomasz Sarnowski (Leader of the IBB PAS part), Prof. Piotr Zielenkiewicz, Prof. Michał Dadlez and Prof. Wojciech Bal will be involved in tasks of JADE Health.

Funded by the European Union’s EU4Health fund, the JA will span three years and will be coordinated at both the European and national levels by the FUNDACION PARA LA FORMACION E INVESTIGACION DE LOS PROFESIONALES DE LA SALUD DE EXTREMADURA (FUNDESALUD).

^{JADE Health is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only, and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.}