"Coordinating PFAROS is about connecting people, expertise, and ideas. By bringing together partners from across the healthcare ecosystem, we create the conditions for collaboration, innovation, and impact. Together, we are working towards safe and sustainable solutions that will help shape the future of healthcare." -Nathalie De Coensel (UGhent)

"Science, collaboration and responsibility for people and the environment are at the heart of Europe’s vision. PFAROS brings this vision to life by shaping PFAS alternatives that are safe, sustainable, and fit for the future." -Maricica Munteanu-Kempa (BIOTRONIK)

More than 89 partners from across Europe and beyond came together for the Kick-Off Meeting of PFAROS IHI project – Driving Sustainable Innovation to Minimise PFAS in European Healthcare. Over two inspiring days, representatives from academia, industry, healthcare, regulatory bodies, research organisations, and civil society met to align on a shared ambition: tackling PFAS-related challenges in healthcare through collaboration, innovation, and science-based solutions. PFAROS i

"The PFAROS consortium demonstrates that MedTech, academia and pharmaceutical companies consider sustainable innovation and social responsibility an important part of the healthcare environment." -John O’Hara UCB

​"No single organisation can solve the PFAS challenge alone PFAROS unites expertise from across the healthcare ecosystem to create practical, science-based solutions that will help reduce PFAS emissions, strenghten sustainability and ensure the long-term resilience of European healthcare " -Prof. Kevin Van Geem (Ghent University)

[Ghent, Belgium, 1 September 2026] — A new European research and innovation initiative, PFAROS, has launched to strengthen collaboration among healthcare system stakeholders and to support integrated solutions to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concerns in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors. Funded under the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU), PFAROS is aligned with European Union public health, environmental, and industr