PROGRAMME – CPE Annual Conference, Policy Forum & General Assembly 2025
Access for All: Bridging Inequalities in the Cancer Care Continuum
Brussels, 25–27 June 2025
Join Cancer Patients Europe (CPE) for an unmissable three-day event in Brussels — where policy meets purpose and patients’ voices drive progress.
Bridging Policy and Patients: Strengthening Cancer Advocacy in the European Parliament
25th June 2025
European Parliament, room SPINELLI 3F383 (BRUSSELS)
Hosts: MEP Michalis Hadjipantela (EPP, Cyprus) MEP Nikos Papandreou (S&D, Greece)
Objectives
This event aims to foster dialogue between policymakers and the cancer patient community, highlighting patient experiences and CPE’s key initiatives. It will empower advocates to engage with EU institutions and offer insights into the Parliament’s role in advancing equitable, patient-centred cancer care across Europe.
Agenda
15:00
Welcome and scene setting:
MEP Nikos Papandreou (S&D, Greece), MEP Michalis Hadjipantela
(EPP, Cyprus)
Francisco Lozano, Chair of the Board, CPE
15:10
Overview of Cancer Care Inequalities in the EU:
Liora Bowers,
Health Policy Analyst, OECD
15:20
Real-life Challenges Presented by Patients:
Merel Hennink, CPE Board secretary & LuCE Board member
Alina Comanescu, CPE Member, President of Community Health
Association Romania
DiCE Board Member
Michael Daly, co-Founder East Galway and Midlands Support Group
15:35
The European Parliament’s Role in Tackling Cancer Care Inequalities Through Concrete Policy Solutions:
MEP Nicolas Casares (S&D, Spain) & MEP Hosts
15:50
Overview of CPE engagements with the European Parliament:
Jacqueline Daly, Board Member, CPE
15:55
Q&A Session
16:25
Closing remarks:
MEP Co-Hosts MEP Nikos Papandreou (S&D, Greece), MEP Michalis Hadjipantela (EPP, Cyprus), MEP Nicolas Casares (S&D, Spain)
Francisco Lozano, Chair of the Board, CPE
16:30
Networking refreshments
Equity in Action: CPE Conference 2025
26th June 2025
Fondation Universitaire, Rue d’Egmont 11, 1000 Bruxelles
Overview
CPE will host its first annual conference, expanding the conversation beyond its membership to include non-member patient organisations, EU institutions, academia, industry partners, and project collaborators. Centred on the theme Access for all, this event will spotlight research and policy initiatives that can help improve equitable access to prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and survivorship care for cancer patients across Europe. Through targeted presentations and in-depth discussions, the conference will foster a collaborative exchange of ideas and expertise to break down barriers and advance patient-centred solutions within the cancer advocacy community.
Overall Goal
The overall goal of the event is to empower a cohesive and dynamic CPE network that amplifies cancer patients’ voices at EU, national and regional level. By uniting diverse patient organisations and stakeholders, the initiative will elevate advocacy efforts, drive policy innovation, and foster collaborative solutions addressing the needs of cancer patients, their carers and healthcare systems as a whole.
Agenda
8:30
Registration & Welcome coffee
Conference moderator: Barry Sudbeck
9:00
Opening Plenary session
CPE in the EU Policy arena
Francisco Lozano, Chair of the Board, Cancer Patients Europe
Antonella Cardone, CEO Cancer Patients Europe
9:30
Session 1 – Prevention, Early Detection and Early Diagnosis
Opening presentations (30 minutes – 7minutes/presentation):
· Primary Prevention:
o Nutrition, obesity and physical activity
o Environment, Tobacco smoking & alcohol
o Vaccination
· Secondary Prevention or early detection:
o Existing Screening (colorectal, breast and cervical cancer)
o New screening (lung, gastric and prostate cancer)
Experts
Nutrition, obesity and physical activity: Joanna Eksteen, Research Associate, KU Leuven
Environment, tobacco & alcohol: Michele Matta, Scientist, Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, IARC
Vaccination: Peter Baker, Director Global Action on Men’s Health
Screening programmes: Marcis Leja, Coordinator EUCanScreen, Director Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine, University of Latvia
Discussions
Presentations of key findings in the plenary
One Moderator and one Rapporteur/table
11:00
Coffee Break
11:30
Session 2 – Diagnostics and Treatments (Shared decision making)
Opening presentations (30 minutes – 7minutes/presentation):
· Clinical trial access (cross border)
· Genomic testing and cancer treatment
· Joint Clinical Assessment & Patient Involvement
· Multimodality Cancer Therapy Strategy
· Cost of treatments & Cancer care sustainability
Experts
Clinical trial access: Cristina Rotaru, EU-X-CT Secretariat
Genomic testing and cancer treatment: Umberto MalapelleAssociate Professor in School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II (Pre-recorded video)
Joint Clinical Assessment and patient involvement: Julie Spony, Project Officer – HTA, DG SANTE, European Commission
Cost of treatments: Paul Cornes, Lecturer, European School of Oncology
Discussion
Presentations of key findings in the plenary
One moderator and one rapporteur/table
13:00
Lunch break
14:00
Session 3 – Survivorship & Multidisciplinary care
Opening presentations (30 minutes – 7minutes/presentation):
· Integrative and Complementary Care
· Palliative care along the treatment pathway
· Financial Toxicity & the Right to Be Forgotten
· The right to die with dignity
Experts
Integrative and complementary care: Zsuzsa Koncz, Clinical Psychologist, Eötvös lorand University
Palliative care along the treatment pathway: Luna Gauchez, Researcher, Kom op tegen Kanker
Financial Toxicity: Françoise Meunier, Founder European Initiative on Ending Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors
Right to die with dignity: Jacqueline Daly, co-founder of the East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support Centre, Vice chair of the Board CPE
Discussion
Presentations of key findings in the plenary
One moderator and one Rapporteur/table
15:30
Coffee Break
16:00
Session on Calls to Action:
· 5 Ways to Reduce Cancer Care Inequalities in Europe
· European Semester on Health
Speakers
5 Ways to Reduce Cancer Care Inequalities: MEP Sokol
European Semester:
– Mr.Dirk Van Den Steen, Acting Head of Unit, DG SANTE, European Commission
16:30
Closing plenary session
Francisco Lozano, Chair of the Board, Cancer Patients Europe
16:40 -18:00
Networking refreshments