Innovative healthcare drugs and therapies offer the potential to improve the lives of millions of people living with cancer in Europe, yet significant differences in time-to-access remain for most of the new therapeutic interventions. How to ensure effective innovations are accessible and affordable to all patients is a challenge facing all stakeholders in the field of cancer.

In light of the European Commission’s legislative proposal for future EU cooperation on Health Technology Assessment, the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) together with Elisabetta Gardini MEP (EPP, Italy) will host a high-level policy discussion organised in partnership with the Cancer Drug Development Forum (CDDF). The meeting will bring together patients, health stakeholders, academia, policymakers and industry to highlight the importance of a more harmonised approach to Health Technology Assessment for ensuring timely access to innovative oncology diagnostics and treatments, and equally for establishing a more meaningful and systematic involvement of patient organisations in the process.

Today, very few HTA agencies in Europe involve patients in their assessments and where public engagement is sought, the approaches vary. The European Commission’s proposal seeks to dismantle barriers to involving patients in Health Technology Assessment, by creating established methods for providing patient evidence, but more robust patient engagement schemes are needed at both the EU and Member State levels.

Cancer patients are the most important partners in the fight against cancer and all cancer-related challenges affecting our society today. Considering that they are the ultimate beneficiaries of innovation in medical technologies, patients’ needs, and preferences must be captured, when assessing the value of new therapies.