EU Cancer Mission: The future of health is citizen-centric
Every year 2,7 million people are diagnosed with cancer in Europe. At this rate, the number of new diagnoses will increase to more than 3,2 million by 2040. Under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, the European Commission has launched an EU Mission dedicated to science collaboration on cancer prevention, detection and patient welfare. Technopolis Group’s work has been orbiting the Cancer Mission from the start. Our foresight analysis work helps decision-makers understand the main issues and trends in cancer-related policy as well as elucidate a future of health that is not only innovative but also citizen centric.
The EU is on a Mission to fight cancer
The EU Cancer Mission, together with the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, aims to not only increase our understanding of cancer but also enable earlier detection and treatment as well as improve the quality of life for cancer patients and caregivers. The Cancer Mission is one of five EU Missions driving a greener, healthier, more inclusive and resilient Europe, each aligned with a set of targets to be achieved by 2030.
In 2020, Technopolis Group contributed to the initial stages of the Cancer Mission through a study for the Cancer Mission Board, a Commission expert group set up to advise on the cancer theme. We also conducted the impact assessment of the Innovative Health Initiative, a major European public-private partnership that aims to develop innovations in health to prevent, faster diagnose and treat cancer. The abovementioned studies were undertaken for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research & Innovation (DG RTD), which plays a significant role in the Cancer Mission. We are currently leading a study for DG ENERGY to define European key performance indicators (supporting the SAMIRA actions and the Cancer Plan) so that ionising radiation can be used safely and effectively (e.g. in radiological imaging and radiation therapy), in all stages of cancer management from diagnosis and monitoring to treatment of the disease.
Over the years, Technopolis Group has delivered several projects focused on cancer research and deployment of innovation in the healthcare system at EU and national level. These experiences have informed our understanding of the current trends in EU cancer initiatives but also broader health policy priorities.
Innovation and the citizen: A systematic transition
In the context of the EU Missions, Europe is entering a new frontier, where science and technology have a huge potential for a healthier, greener, and more inclusive society. There are a variety of initiatives that have the potential to revolutionise how we prevent diseases like cancer and think about maintaining our health. Take the recent advances in exploiting health data, genomics and advanced analytics like the ‘1+ Million Genomes‘ initiative and national genomic medicine policies, which will contribute to improving individual life planning and public health policies. The European Data Strategy and European Health Data Space will also be of central importance to empower individuals to take control of their data. It will enable further research and support developers and regulators to ensure better products and services are available and accessible for all citizens.
Despite these new initiatives, cancer remains a major burden on our society, in terms of healthy life years lost but also financial cost. There are further pressing challenges and emerging threats to our health and care systems (e.g. infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and multimorbidity in old age). A major shift is therefore needed – from managing diseases to maintaining health. This systemic transition can only be achieved with a long-term, evidence-based vision of a leadership that is not bound by short policy cycles, where budgetary siloes are broken down, so that maintaining health is rewarded more than treating diseases. However, inertia and vested interest in this complex system makes this a challenging transition.
Ultimately, it is imperative to prioritise future health based around a citizen-centric system, one that encourages behavioural change, utilises inclusive technologies and integrates automation within the healthcare sector, while better valuing our green spaces and natural environment.
Imagining the future of health in three scenarios
Within the current EU R&I policy framework, foresight analysis has been useful for policymakers to develop longer-term, evidence-based strategic policy plans. This type of analysis is used to set up roadmaps, pre-emptively assessing challenges, trends and preparing for future developments.
Three scenarios have been developed around the long-term future of our health systems as part of Technopolis’s Foresight on Demand services (requested by DG RTD):
1. A scenario that is governed by technology supremacy, where health-related data belongs to the private sector that generate data through proprietary technologies, healthy life years are significantly extended for those who can afford it, but inequality is on the rise.
2. A scenario that is centred around a ‘social contract’ across all stakeholders and genuine needs drive new technology development; those companies will succeed that have the trust of citizens to receive their health data and enable product development; investment becomes lower risk and health systems reimburse innovative services accessible to all.
3. A scenario that is led by public leadership with primary focus on prevention, healthcare budgets are largely moved away from hospitals and treatment of diseases to promoting lifestyle changes and clean environment; health insurance has become a policy tool that comparatively penalises unhealthy lifestyles of marginalised groups and radical innovation by the private sector has shrunk.
What are the policy implications for these scenarios? Read the complete study Foresight towards the 2nd Strategic Plan for Horizon Europe.
Don’t lose (fore)sight
Looking ahead, we anticipate that foresight will continue to be valuable in identifying trends and drivers for policymakers in R&I and public health to tackle cancer better. Nevertheless, foresight scenarios are not meant to be predictions of alternative futures, nor do they capture the complex interdependencies of our real world. They provide the seeds – or good ingredients – for policymakers to help steer toward a desired scenario…or at least away from one that we would surely not want to drift towards.
