SIOPE ONCOPOLICY Update

25/10/2022

 

European Parliament goes gold for the occasion of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2022

We are honoured that the European Parliament building in Brussels was once again lit up in gold on 6 September 2022, bringing major visibility to the persistent burden of childhood cancer – an important sign that children and adolescents with cancer should remain an important priority on the EU agenda.

In addition, the SIOP Europe team was present at the European Parliament on the day of illumination and had successfully interacted with around 60 MEPs from 22 Member States across Europe who supported the campaign through a photo with our social media frame or in front of the illuminated building.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola for championing the institution’s endorsement of this year’s campaign and we commend the full political spectrum who supported the campaign through a photo with our social media frame or in front of the illuminated building.

 

Meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola

SIOP Europe team met the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola on 26 September – thanks to whom the Parliament’s illumination was made possible.

We had a unique opportunity to discuss the role of the European Parliament in delivering for young people with cancer and the vital EU initiatives undertaken in this regard, and future perspectives on the implementation of the EU’s cancer agenda and the paediatric oncology community’s contribution opportunities.

Our childhood cancer community was privileged to attend this high-level meeting with the President of the European Parliament, which sends an important signal that brings the paramount focus on the needs of Europe’s youngest ones.

 

SIOPE – MAC webinar for Gold September: Championing the importance of the Paediatric Regulation in the future revision of EU pharmaceutical legislation

This year’s edition of SIOP Europe’s flagship annual event on the occasion of Gold September – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (co-organised with the MEPs Against Cancer (MAC) Interest Group and in cooperation with CCI Europe) focused on the need to champion the importance of a fit-for-purpose EU Paediatric Regulation and inspire policy makers’ commitment to its meaningful revision for the benefit of all children and adolescents with cancer.

The European childhood cancer community recognised the commendable efforts already being made by the EU and wished to build on progress and go further by engaging in a discussion with key policymakers, academia, patient advocates and the industry on how to improve the Paediatric Regulation for the benefit of the entire childhood cancer community across Europe.

To read the news release please visit SIOPE website here.

To watch the webinar recording please visit SIOPE YouTube channel here.

 

New SIOPE Policy Project: Organisation of Care and Research in Paediatric Oncology in Europe

In light of the developments on the EU agenda and its initiatives of relevance to childhood cancer, and in particular the Horizon Europe Cancer Mission, it is important to ensure a comprehensive picture of the organisation of paediatric oncology in Europe and its specificities that will serve the whole childhood cancer community and inform policy-making in Europe.

In view of Recommendation 10 of the Cancer Mission: “Set up a network of Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures within and across all EU Member States to increase quality of research and care”, SIOPE finds it important to provide a summary of the organisation of paediatric oncology in Europe, show and discuss the paediatric oncology model of multidisciplinarity to deliver care and research and outline inequalities across Europe in terms of treatment and research opportunities for paediatric cancer patients.

For this reason, SIOPE is preparing to launch a new policy project ‘Organisation of Care and Research in Paediatric Oncology in Europe’ in the coming months that will map out the different centres across Europe that treat paediatric cancers and how these centres are organised.