The French National Cancer Institute’s European Meeting 2022

This event took place one year after the launch of the Ten-Year Cancer Control Strategy in France and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. It aimed to be a unique forum for exchanges between the leading European institutional stakeholders and experts.

Increased visibility of European cancer control initiatives

Opened by Prof. Norbert Ifrah, President of the French National Cancer Institute, and Frédérique Vidal, French Minister for Research, the first day offered increased visibility regarding the actions of key actors in the fight against cancer through seven masterclasses.

The presentations covered several topics such as: 

• the continuum of healthcare development, 
• the patient empowerment initiatives of the European Cancer Patient Coalition, 
• data sharing, 
• treatments for children with cancer, 
• tobacco taxation, 
• the role of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Overcoming Cancer, 
• the objectives of the European Cancer Plan and the Mission for Cancer. 

In addition, Jérôme Salomon, the French Director General of Health, gave a speech about the Institute's commitment to the fight against cancer and the significance of this effort in French and European politics.

Three successive speeches opened the second day of these European Meetings: Olivier Véran, Minister of Solidarity and Health, followed by Stella Kyriakydes, European Commissioner for Health, and Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, MEP and rapporteur of the BECA committee.

Joint political declaration and concrete actions proposal

The morning continued with a speech by Thierry Breton, Director General of the French National Cancer Institute, who presented the exchange process undertaken by 150 international experts in five thematic workshops to accelerate efforts to fight cancer on the European level. 

At the end of those workshops, the experts proposed 32 new concrete actions around those five priority themes:

• cancers with poor prognosis,
• cancer prevention,
• cancer and employment,
• paediatric cancers,
• international cooperation in the fight against cancer.

The joint political declaration, presented at the end of the morning, characterised a strong commitment taken by the trio of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, composed of the French Minister for Health Olivier Véran and his Swedish and Czech homologues: Lena Hallengren and Vlastimil Válek. The trio indorsed the political, scientific and operational priority of the fight against cancer in the European Union through this declaration.

Finally, two round tables took place with the participation of John F. Ryan and Joanna Drake, officials from the European Commission. The first round table provided an opportunity to put the issues raised by the fight against cancer into perspective to discuss the levers for action and the obstacles. Research and its coordination with the Cancer Mission were at the heart of the second round table before the closing address by Prof. Norbert Ifrah.

Replays and documents

Unable to attend the European Meeting 2022 or willing to watch a particular sequence again?

First day of the European Cancer Meeting 2022

 Second day of the European Cancer Meeting 2022