Mark Lawler, Associate Director of Postgraduate Studies, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics, and Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“As we end two insightful days here in Brussels at The Economist World Cancer Series Europe, I share my key takeaway messages with what has been a super audience and with my great friend and colleague Pat Price Radiotherapy UK we begin a call to arms to protect and promote cancer research, innovation and implementation for Europe.
Key Takeaways:
Health in Europe is at a Crossroads. It is no longer a stand-alone priority with its own protected budget
Worryingly, I’m even starting to hear “Oh, cancer is fixed – its time to address cardiovascular disease
Cancer most emphatically not fixed.
Health might be at a crossroads, but cancer must be in our crosshairs!
I was encouraged to hear the Vice President of the European Parliament highlight the importance of “Health in All Policies” – and more importantly seeking a €90B budget for health
Why can’t we address cancer related issues at a pan European level – we did it for COVID – Why can’t we do it for Cancer?
Yes there are challenges we’ve heard over the last two days here at The Economist World Cancer Series Europe in Brussels
- Cancer Workforce
- Cancer Inequalities
- Cancer Budgets
- Cancer Clinical Trials
But we’ve also had a lot of positivity – new ways of helping health ministers to pitch to their Finance ministers for funding; solutions to clinical trial delays, new breakthroughs etc
A key theme has been that of working together – Collaborate with each other – Compete against Cancer
Another theme has been to address the cancer continuum and make sure National Cancer Control Programmes and their Implementation is a top priority
And we must ensure that patients are embedded throughout
So
- Let’s listen to our patients when they say they want us to use their data (in many cases they think we already are)
- Involve our patients earlier and more centrally in everything that we do
- Drive innovation, ensuring that its not just in new medicines
- Make determined concerted efforts to maximise clinical trials and Real World Studies, learning and sharing
- Don’t forget Prevention and Early Detection
- Deliver both the health and economic dividend for Cancer
We don’t have an Innovation problem, we have an Implementation problem
So let’s proceed, at pace and at scale
Yes its not easy – but by working together and supporting each other we can prevail, improving cancer outcomes and delivering a socio economic benefit for the people of Europe”
Other articles featuring Mark Lawler on OncoDaily.