Continence care a priority at EAU24
The Urge to Act campaign has taken its first step towards incorporating European continence care into daily praxis by ensuring access to incontinence bins in all restrooms (men’s and women’s) during EAU24.
The Urge to Act is a new multi-stakeholder, Europe-wide campaign, initiated by the EAU Policy Office, aimed at achieving substantial change in policies relating to incontinence across Europe. On 8 November 2023, the Urge to Act campaign brought together 22 stakeholders to sign a manifesto for policy reform on continence health in Europe.
As part of this push for systemic reform, the EAU, together with Europa Uomo, have ensured better access to incontinence resources by placing sanitary bins in the men’s toilets at EAU24. Furthermore, the congress venue, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, has confirmed that they will continue to offer bins for other events. The EAU will urge future congress venues to place sanitary bins in both men and women’s restrooms.
This is a major milestone for the Urge to Act coalition; it is the first tangible result of the campaign and affirms its commitment to real-world results. For patients living with incontinence, it can be an embarrassing and isolating condition, having negative effects on their physical and mental health. Lack of access to support facilities often severely limits where they can go and what they can do. Any support can feel like a lifeline to patients living with incontinence.