NEWSLETTER June 2026

From the editor

Let’s Scan the Horizon! (And Keep Your Jewelry On)

by Kateryna Ostrovska

No MRI gowns were required.

On 16 June, the European Health Futures Forum hosted a one-hour webinar designed to open the world of futures thinking to anyone working in or around health. Around twenty participants joined us for a conversation that was both practical and thought-provoking: What does it mean to think about the future in a systematic way? And why should healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, innovators, and citizens care?

The answer is simple: because the future is already shaping the decisions we make today.

We began by introducing foresight as a discipline—a structured approach to exploring uncertainty and preparing for multiple possible futures. Unlike prediction, foresight does not seek to tell us exactly what will happen. Instead, it helps us identify what might happen, what could disrupt our assumptions, and what actions we can take now to become more resilient and adaptive.

The discussion then moved from theory to practice. Participants explored real-world examples of organizations already using futures methods to navigate uncertainty, design better policies, and make more informed strategic decisions. Most importantly, the conversation reminded us that there is not one future ahead of us, but many possible futures. Developing this “futures consciousness” allows us to recognize complexity rather than fear it.

Once we begin looking ahead, we start noticing signals of change all around us.

Some of these are megatrends—large, long-term forces such as demographic shifts, technological advancement, climate change, or changing patterns of health and disease. Others are trends, observable patterns that gradually reshape the way we live and work. We also discussed weak signals: small, often ambiguous developments that are easy to dismiss today but may become highly influential tomorrow. Finally, there are wildcards—rare but high-impact events that arrive unexpectedly and fundamentally change the rules of the game.

Yet one important insight emerged during our discussion: seeing the future is not enough.

Many organizations are becoming better at anticipation, but translating future-oriented insights into action remains a challenge. Electoral cycles, budgeting frameworks, institutional inertia, and competing priorities often make it difficult to act on long-term thinking. This is where interdisciplinarity becomes essential. Futures thinking alone cannot solve every challenge. Systems thinking helps us understand interconnected complexity. Design thinking helps us create human-centered solutions. Together, these approaches complement one another and strengthen our ability to move from insight to implementation.

The future will not wait for us to become comfortable with uncertainty. But by learning to scan the horizon together, we can become better prepared for whatever comes next.

The search for future drivers of change is now open.

Every month, we will highlight developments that may shape the future of health systems, healthcare delivery, and human wellbeing. Some are emerging technologies. Others are shifts in science, society, economics, or policy. Not all will become transformative—but all are worth watching.

Here are three signals currently on our radar.

Written by:

Kateryna Ostrovska, freelance consultant, health policy and systems strategist, foresight practitioner

This month’s newsletter was co-edited and compiled by Cristina Carnovale, a member of the EHFF.

Cristina Carnovale, EHFF member

Personalised mRNA Cancer Vaccines: One Diagnosis, Many Treatments

A major development highlighted by the World Economic Forum’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026 report points toward a future where cancer treatment is designed for each individual patient. Rather than attacking cancer directly, personalized mRNA vaccines train the immune system to recognize the unique genetic markers found in a person’s tumor.

Recent clinical trials have shown remarkable results in cancers such as pancreatic cancer and melanoma, reducing recurrence risks and improving long-term survival outcomes. What makes this particularly significant is that the infrastructure developed during the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the ability to design and manufacture these therapies at unprecedented speed.

The challenge ahead is not scientific feasibility but equitable access. Can health systems scale personalized medicine without turning it into a privilege available only to the wealthiest patients?

Read the full article here: link

Brain-Machine Interfaces: Restoring Human Capabilities

Neuroscience is advancing rapidly, bringing once-unimaginable possibilities closer to reality. According to Stanford University’s Emerging Technology Review, researchers are making progress in brain-machine interfaces that can translate neural activity into digital signals.

One promising example is the development of artificial retinas designed to restore sight for people with certain forms of blindness. Researchers are also exploring technologies that could one day enable direct communication between the brain and prosthetic limbs.

While sensational headlines often exaggerate how close we are to “mind-reading” technologies, genuine advances are occurring. The real question is how societies will govern these innovations responsibly while ensuring that ethical considerations keep pace with scientific breakthroughs.

Read the full article here: link

Upcoming events

EHFF Summer Social

Click here to learn more: link

 VIII Congreso Nacional de Medicina Integrativa

The event will take place in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, between the 13-15 November 2026. 

Find out more and register

RESOLVE: Resilience and Evaluation of Systems under Ongoing Learning, Vulnerability and Emergencies

A 4-day in-person CPD Course 30 November – 3 December 2026 Trinity College Dublin

Find out more and register

Announcements from EHFF

The Hidden Link Between Fascia, Neuroinflammation & Neurodegeneration

By Stephanie Otto

Once dismissed as mere “bubble wrap” for organs, fascia is now recognized as the body’s largest sensory organ, highly innervated with interoceptors, mechanoreceptors, and autonomic nerve fibers. It serves as a real-time neurological communication network that directly influences the brain’s threat assessment.

Neuroinflammation and Trauma

Chronic stress and unresolved emotional trauma trigger physical changes in the fascia via chemical cascades involving cortisol, adrenaline, and TGF-β1. These changes cause the tissue to thicken, lose its glide, and lock into chronic defensive postures. This physical entrapment sends continuous “threat” signals to the brain, suppressing the vagal anti-inflammatory reflex.

The resulting peripheral inflammation can cross into the central nervous system through three main pathways:

• The Vagus Nerve: Impairing bottom-up immune regulation.
• Mast Cell Activation: Releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines that activate glial cells.
• The Glymphatic System: Restricting tissue mobility, which hinders the nocturnal clearance of neurotoxic aggregates like amyloid-β.

This self-reinforcing cycle of neuroinflammation drives progressive neuronal loss decades before neurodegenerative symptoms like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s appear. Conversely, somatic therapies (e.g., myofascial release, Yin Yoga) rehydrate this tissue, signaling “safety” to the brain and shifting the nervous system into a neuroprotective, parasympathetic state.

The Role in Cancer

Tumors actively remodel the surrounding fascial extracellular matrix (ECM). Reprogrammed fascial cells (cancer-associated fibroblasts) stiffen the ECM, creating a protective barrier against immune surveillance and chemotherapy. Chronic low-grade fascial inflammation overlaps significantly with the hallmarks of cancer, promoting DNA damage and tissue invasion.

Targeted exercise – including resistance, aerobic, and mind-body training – serves as a potent countermeasure by reducing systemic inflammation, remodeling the ECM to reduce stiffness, and enhancing anti-tumor immunity.

Congress Report: SIO Europe – 12th International ARTOI Congress

We are pleased to report on our extensive contributions to the recent congress in Rome:

• 3 Scientific Contributions (including 2 Poster presentations).
• 2 Chair Positions leading key integrative oncology sessions.
• Featured Talk: “The Neurofascial Dimension of Integrative Medicine & Oncology”.

Upcoming Event: VIII Congreso Nacional de Medicina Integrativa

We invite you to attend Dr. Stephanie Otto’s upcoming talk in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, this November:

• Title: “Pelvic Fascia in Pregnancy: Adaptation, Load Transfer, and Clinical Relevance”.

Resource Spotlight: Infographic

Explore our latest visual guide detailing the dynamic interaction between fascial tension, tumor progression, and neurological health.

2025 OnHOME Alliance / UCL Patient Survey

The joint 2025 OnHOME Alliance / UCL Patient Survey highlights how regulatory flexibility has resulted in substantial variation across Member States when it comes to online access to prescription medicines.​

Read the full report here.

New EHFF Podcast episodes out!

Episode 7 . Prescription Medicines Online: Between Access and Safety

Stay Tuned and Take Action

Thank you for reading this month’s edition of the EHFF Newsletter.

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Warm regards,

EHFF