CPE Webinar Series: Innovative Diagnostics and Accurate Diagnosis – EWAC 2024
This webinar, part of CPE’s European Week Against Cancer 2024 series organized with EFPIA Oncology Platform support, addresses inequalities in access to innovative diagnostic tools and accurate cancer diagnosis across EU Member States. Expert panelists including MEPs, pathologists, diagnostic specialists, and patient advocates examine disparities in genomic testing availability, liquid biopsy access, advanced imaging technologies, and molecular diagnostics infrastructure. Key topics include variations in biomarker testing rates across countries, reimbursement barriers for companion diagnostics, turnaround time differences for pathology results, quality assurance in diagnostic laboratories, and the impact of diagnostic delays on treatment outcomes and survival. The session analyzes how diagnostic access gaps perpetuate health inequalities and presents policy recommendations: harmonized reimbursement frameworks for innovative diagnostics across Member States, quality standards for molecular pathology services, investment in diagnostic infrastructure in underserved regions, and integration of precision diagnostics into standard cancer care pathways throughout the EU.