Europe at a Crossroads: Securing Lasting Leadership in Cancer Care and Innovation
This policy paper, initiated and funded by AstraZeneca and developed in collaboration with a multidisciplinary group of academics, clinicians, patient advocates, and cancer policy experts — including CPE as signatory — examines Europe’s progress and growing vulnerabilities in cancer care and innovation. Drawing on the achievements of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Mission on Cancer, the paper highlights critical warning signs: new medicines are reaching patients 655 days after approval, fewer than one in ten tumour samples requiring molecular testing undergo next-generation sequencing, and Europe’s global share of cancer R&D has declined by 25% over the past two decades. With the Beating Cancer Plan nearing its end and no clear successor in sight, the authors call for renewed political commitment, sustained funding, and coordinated action across four priority areas: governance continuity, equitable access to innovation, strengthened National Cancer Control Plans, and interoperable cancer data systems.