The outcomes of health and research policy making at EU level naturally affect us all - from legislation, funding for research to advancing treatment and care for our patients. It concerns and impacts on each and every stakeholder in oncology.
As oncology professionals we can better understand the complexities, the implications and the challenges of tackling cancer, however, for those tasked to priority set at EU level, it is frankly a daunting mandate considering the multi-faceted nature of the disease, the multi-specialties and professionals involved. Simply put, we depend on policy makers and vice versa. As I alluded to in my September page, ECCO’s annual Oncopolicy Forum took place in Brussels, Belgium, 26th October, 2010. This year’s theme on Strengthening Oncopolicy through Partnerships: Unlocking Europe’s Health and Research Potential, attracted a highly representative group of over 130 thought leaders including patient and health professional organisations, national and European policymakers, researchers, clinicians, scientists, and industry in the oncology field.
Addressing the crucial role of policy in creating opportunities for innovative and creative approaches to advancing cancer research and treatment, experts showcased current partnerships, openly debated and shared best practice in developing successful collaboration, and tackled the issue of inequalities in cancer research and access to quality care across Europe. Several take home messages were formulated in consensus which we must now act upon in the interests and behalf of the European oncology community. A short video capturing these main messages will shortly be available on the ECCO website - I can in the meantime advance that one element recurrent in almost every conversation was the necessity of making multidisciplinarity and multiprofessionalism in oncology a reality in Europe.
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Lastly, but by no means least when highlighting the strength of important partnerships, I encourage you to read the latest news from the Eurocancercoms project including research pieces, collaboration with NCI CaBIG, ECCO’s Patient Advisory Committee’s participation in a filmed roundtable debate on the media, as well as key technical developments. The Eurocancercoms partnership, a 2 year FP-7 funded European Commission project, will ultimately provide proof-of-concept for integrating cancer information using cutting edge technology to provide a unique platform for providing cancer intelligence to the public, patients and cancer healthcare professionals.
Most importantly, Eurocancercoms aims to engage as wide a community as possible to test out new concepts, content and approaches and is therefore welcoming of groups and/or organisations that wish to help develop specific types of cancer, languages and/or bring in content.
*To find out more: visit www.eurocancercoms.eu
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