European Parliament, 4 February 2025
On 4 February 2025, MEP András Kulja (EPP, Hungary) organised and hosted a high-level policy event in the European Parliament with the participation of SIOPE and CCI-E. The event brought together over 100 participants, including EU policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and patient advocates, to discuss one of the most pressing challenges in paediatric oncology: cross-border access to care and research.
Held in anticipation of International Childhood Cancer Day (15 February), this event shed light onto the significant disparities in survival rates and access to innovative treatments across Europe. The discussions mainly focused on three key areas:
· Cross-border access to high-quality care - examining barriers in the Cross-border Healthcare Directive and S2 form that limit access to innovative treatments such as CAR T-cell therapy.
· Cross-border access to research - tackling regulatory and logistical challenges that hinder EU-wide paediatric oncology clinical trials and prevent children from benefiting from cutting-edge research outside their home countries.
· Training and capacity-building - exploring twinning programmes and EU-wide training initiatives to provide healthcare professionals with the expertise needed to reduce inequalities in care.
Beyond ICCD 2025: A Call to Action
A major takeaway from the discussions is the urgent need for concrete policy changes to ensure no child is left behind due to national borders or bureaucratic constraints. The childhood cancer community calls on EU decision-makers to prioritise cross-border collaboration, funding, and regulatory harmonisation in their mandate to improve care and outcomes for young patients.
If you missed the event or would like to revisit the discussion, you can watch the full recording on the SIOPE YouTube channel. For the latest updates on our ongoing work to secure a brighter future for children and adolescents with cancer across Europe, please visit the SIOPE website.