EU organizes aggressive anti-cancer action around imaging
The executive branch of the European Union has launched a major project to aggregate cancer imaging data from across the continent so it can be readily tapped by healthcare providers, medical schools and industry innovators.
The European Commission announced the development Monday.
Along with galvanizing efforts to advance cancer care, the new enterprise—called the European Cancer Imaging Initiative—will seek to ensure adherence to high ethical standards, trust, security and protection of personal data, according to the announcement.
In addition, the initiative will “support data altruism from citizens, who could give their consent or permission voluntarily to make available data that they generate as a way of enriching the health datasets,” the commission states.
The initiative is to serve as the “flagship action” of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which the commission announced in early 2021.
The commission says the European Cancer Imaging Initiative will produce a “cross-border, interoperable and secure infrastructure that will preserve privacy [and] speed innovation in medical research.”
Contributing entities from medicine, academia and industry will collaborate to design the infrastructure, according to the plan.
The infrastructure’s primary announced aims:
- give European clinicians, researchers and innovators easy access to large amounts of cancer imaging data;
- support the testing and development of tools for personalized medicine to advance cancer diagnostics and treatments; and
- support the creation of new, and the interoperability of existing, cancer image datasets, in line with the European Strategy for Data.
The announcement quotes Stella Kyriakides, European commissioner for health and food safety:
The Cancer Imaging initiative will provide vital information for the next generation of cancer diagnostics and treatment and help us make screening more precise, timely and accessible. It is a key example of how we invest and make the best use of the potential of innovative digital solutions under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to change the realities for cancer patients and their families.”
Find the full Jan. 23 announcement with supporting links here.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.