On September 20, the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) joined other iPAAC collaborating partners for the first Stakeholder Forum of the joint action. The Innovative Partnership for Action Against Cancer (iPAAC) Joint Action brings together 24 Associated Partners (with Affiliated Entities, 44 partners) across Europe whose main objectives are to build upon deliverables of the CANCON Joint Action and to implement innovative approaches to cancer control.
The Stakeholder forum brought together iPAAC collaborating partners, representing related projects and initiatives, and was the first of the series of annual meetings, which are meant to brief these partners on the project’s development and progress. The meeting also provides an opportunity to provide input that can support the project and to exchange views and comments on the various iPAAC deliverables. The European Cancer Patient Coalition was represented at the meeting by the President, Prof Francesco de Lorenzo, ECPC Board Members Matti Jarvinen and Maude Andersson, and the ECPC Head of EU Affairs Alex Filicevas.
ECPC will contribute to 3 Work Packages (WPs). For WP2 ‘Dissemination’, ECPC will prepare and organise 2 conference meetings to address representatives for all relevant cancer patient organisations and actively support networking and mapping of contacts with patient organisations. For WP7 ‘Cancer Information and Registries’, ECPC will contribute to guidelines, which will be delivered after piloting a comprehensive ICT model. Additionally, ECPC will advise on the selection of epidemiological indicators on cancer prevalence and survivorship and disseminate the result. Lastly, in WP8 ‘Challenges in Cancer Care’ ECPC will participate in a consensus meeting to define the definition of neglected cancers using the case for pancreatic cancer and cooperate to carry out an expert workshop.
Objectives
The iPAAC will support Member States by delivering a Roadmap on Implementation and Sustainability of Cancer Control Actions as its central comprehensive deliverable. This roadmap focuses on issues relevant to policymakers as represented by CANCON and iPAAC recommendations.
Another objective is the development of cancer prevention through a review of current and assessment of potential cancer screening programmes, evaluation and assessment of the possible effect of genomics on cancer control, and the assessment of the implementation European Code Against Cancer.
Additionally, the iPAAC aims to provide better efficacy for dealing with neglected cancers, support the introduction of immunotherapies into clinical practice, evaluate cancer care in European countries and improve the responsiveness to the needs of cancer patients.