Every year, the European Union witnesses over 6 million new cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD), contributing to nearly 2 million deaths and imposing a substantial burden on national healthcare systems and society. Addressing this public health crisis requires effective preventive interventions at both individual and population levels. In response, CVDLINK emerges as a strategic initiative committed to reducing the burden of CVD through a privacy-by-design European-wide federated platform-as-a-service (PaaS).

CVDLINK focuses on seamlessly integrating and securely curating existing clinical, genetic, and real-world data sources, establishing a foundation for effective data-driven, human-centric interventions. Leveraging artificial intelligence and precision medicine tools, the project aims to enhance diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment strategies across seven diverse cardiovascular conditions. By exploring retrospective datasets, cohort studies, and biobanks from seven countries, CVDLINK aspires to set a precedent for harnessing heterogeneous data sources to build comprehensive AI-driven tools.

The project’s impact will be demonstrated through prospective validation in five countries, showcasing the potential benefits for health systems, patients, industry, and EU citizens. Beyond technological advancements, CVDLINK will generate a set of best practices, conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis, and implement systematic awareness campaigns. These efforts are poised to promote the widespread adoption of CVDLINK’s innovative approach in the mid-term, catalysing transformative changes in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases.