The aim of this action is to prepare the future for health research and innovation to contribute significantly towards a sustainable and affordable healthcare.EU-wide there is a clear and present need to contain healthcare costs to keep the healthcare affordable to all EU citizens. In many EU member states healthcare budgets are overstretched and in some states the growth of these budgets seem even out of control. The societal and economic impact of this emerging trend is significant, jeopardizing the affordability of healthcare to all EU-citizens.The EU R&D–program could act as an important catalyst for change. Insights are needed on important cost drivers and on the influence of institutional settings. Innovations in technology and methods, which can contain future costs, should be developed and utilized. The challenge is to do so while maintaining or even improving the quality of care.EU-key players need to come together to discuss this challenge. In collaboration a strategy plan for the development of this research area need to be defined to facilitate and realize the needed breakthrough. They should define a roadmap to:1) Advice on shifts in accents towards cost containment in the present HEALTH-R&D program and other initiatives and2) Develop a supplementary R&D – agenda to fill in the present R&D gaps and needs for a breakthrough in cost containment.This roadmap will contribute to keep the present and future EU HEALTH R&D program relevant to all EU-citizens.WE-CARE presents a multi-disciplinary approach since financial, technical, economic, cultural and ethical aspects are strongly intertwined. The consortium will seek cooperation with relevant EU initiatives to gain as much impact without developing new, solitary actions.Though the aim of this action is to develop a roadmap, an important spin-off is the creation of a commitment on a shared responsibility amongst all EU-key players to keep the healthcare affordable to all EU-citizens.