We are proud to share that the ABCD Study was highlighted by BBMRI-ERIC during World Patient Safety Day, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO). This year’s theme, “Patient Safety from the Start,” focused on ensuring safe, high quality healthcare for children from the very beginning of life.
BBMRI-ERIC, the European research infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources, supports research like ours by connecting over 400 biobanks across Europe and providing tools and expertise to advance health research.
As part of their campaign, BBMRI-ERIC showcased the ABCD Study as an example of research that helps improve child health and safety. For over 20 years, we have been following 8,000 children born in Amsterdam to understand how early life, even during pregnancy, influences health later on. Our aim is to identify ways to prevent health problems and reduce health inequalities from the earliest stages.
Recent findings from our study show that emotional and behavioural challenges in early childhood can affect physical health years later. This underlines the importance of supporting children early, even when the effects are not immediately visible.
We thank BBMRI-ERIC for recognizing our contribution and, most importantly, the families who make this research possible. Together, we are building knowledge to help every child grow up healthy and safe.
👉 Read BBMRI-ERIC’s full multimedia story here: World Patient Safety Day Story