The new Horizon Europe programme 2021-2028: Should the gap between the burden of mental disorders and the funding of mental health research be filled?

Abstract

Given the high burden of mental health disorders, we aimed to assess the extent of funding in Europe addressed to mental health. We observed that the last call of Horizon 2020 addressed only 2.3% of the calls to mental health. Although a greater investment in mental health research and a more equal distribution of funding across European countries has been claimed by European Commission, the actual funding indicates the opposite. Therefore, a better focus on chronic conditions beyond cancer or infectious diseases, including mental health, should be incorporated to the missions of the Horizon Europe programme.