What if we told you that Europe already has a health solution that treats over a billion ailments a year, saves billions in public spending, and doesn’t require a doctor’s appointment? It’s not a new miracle drug or the latest AI breakthrough. It’s something far simpler: self-care.
Self-care includes the everyday products millions of Europeans use to stay well or bounce back quickly, such as non-prescription medicines like painkillers, cold and flu remedies, allergy tablets, and antacids; food supplements like vitamin D, B12, magnesium, and iron; and medical devices like condoms, lubricant eye drops, and the humble but heroic band-aid. These tools empower people to take health into their own hands. Literally!
In 2024, Europeans purchased over 4.7 billion packs of non-prescription medicines and 1.3 billion packs of food supplements, supporting their health without leaning on already overstretched healthcare services. That’s €34 billion in savings and 1.2 billion minor ailments resolved without a single appointment. Still think self-care is trivial?
Without self-care, Europe would need 120,000 more GPs, or each working 2.4 more hours a day — an impossible ask for systems already under strain.
But here’s the catch: access to self-care still depends on where you live. A nasal spray or antifungal cream that you can buy freely in one country, might require a prescription in another. The rules don’t just vary, they puzzle. It’s time we simplified the prescription-to-non-prescription switch process and created a truly EU-wide internal market for self-care. After all, does your headache really know it crossed a border?
And let’s not forget the fine print: the amount of access doesn’t matter, if people don’t know how to use it. Health literacy is the key to unlocking responsible self-care. When people can recognise symptoms, choose appropriate treatments, and know when to consult a professional, they become active participants in managing their health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, self-care was a quiet hero, keeping countless at home, managing mild symptoms, and freeing up space in hospitals for those who needed it most. Not a bad outcome for a pack of paracetamol and a patient well-informed by their pharmacist.
Policymakers have a golden opportunity: to embed self-care in public health strategies, harmonise regulation, and invest in education and digital tools.
As Europe moves forward with health system reform and resilience planning, one question must be asked: are we fully empowering people to care for themselves, or are we missing one of the most accessible and cost-effective solutions at our disposal?
Self-care is not secondary medicine – it is frontline healthcare. It supports prevention, autonomy, and sustainability. And Europe’s health future will be stronger when we finally give it the policy attention it deserves.
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