Special Policy Event: 28 January

13/05/2020

A Special Lunch Meeting with the European childhood cancer community and newly elected Members of the European Parliament “Beating Childhood Cancer in Europe: the 2020-2024 agenda” was held on 28 January at the European Parliament in Brussels.

This Special Policy Event aimed to gather perspectives from policy makers, paediatric cancer professionals, parents and patients, and foster exchange on the actions that the European Parliament can take to advance more and better cures for childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families across Europe.  Based on the latest evidence and most urgent needs that remain across Europe today, the discussion focused (but not limited) to the following: 

  • The paediatric cancer research agenda including the prospect of more comprehensive paediatric cancer research funding streams in the EU budget (EU childhood cancer ‘mission’)
  • Equal access to essential medicines and affordable innovation for young cancer patients across Europe 
  • Overcoming inequalities in childhood cancer survival across Europe, including in relation to the cross-border healthcare directive and the European Reference Networks
  • Long-term care and socio-economic participation of childhood cancer survivors, including equal access to financial services and organised follow up in all European settings

SIOP Europe and CCI Europe were delighted to count on the presence of 16 MEPs including leaders of the dedicated interest group on cancer MEP Véronique Trillet-Lenoir and MEP Loucas Fourlas, who co-hosted the event. It was an important opportunity to consolidate the political will to tackle childhood cancers further in the EU policy cycle 2019-2024.