7. The EU’s Cancer Policy Agenda: A Progress Report and Sense Check

MD, PHD, Deputy Director, European School of Oncology (ESO) Senior Medical Oncologist, Disease Lead Breast Cancer Coordinator, Oncology Pole, Hopital Riviera Chablais, Vaud-Valais, Switzerland Dr. Alexandru Eniu is a senior medical oncologist at the Hôpital Riviera-Chablais, Vaud-Valais, Switzerland, where he took a position in January 2020 as Disease Lead for Breast Cancer and coordinator of the newly created Oncology Pole. He previously worked in the Department of Breast Tumours at the Cancer Institute "Ion Chiricuta" in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. As an active member of both national and international societies, Alexandru Eniu holds positions in various committees. He was appointed in 2018 Deputy Scientific Director of the European School of Oncology after serving for several years as coordinator for the ESO Eastern Europe and Balkan Region Program. Within ESMO, he chaired the ESMO Global Policy Committee and, between 2014-2018, he was a member of the ESMO Executive Board, leading several initiatives tackling disparities in cancer outcomes across Europe and the world. Within ASCO, he served as chairman of the ASCO International Affairs Committee. Furthermore, he is a member of the editorial board of several oncology journals including Annals of Oncology. He participated in the process of developing international and national guidelines for the management of cancer patients, serving as the Co-Chair of the Treatment and Allocation of resources Panel of the Breast Health Global Initiative and as panel member of the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC3 and ABC4) International Consensus Conference. He wrote 6 book chapters and more than 80 articles in international peer reviewed journals within his specialty breast cancer.

Bente Mikkelsen is the Director, Non-Communicable Diseases Division of UHC/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases World Health Organisation. She was formerly Director, Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Health through the Life-course at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (Copenhagen, Denmark), Head of Secretariat for the Global Coordination Mechanism on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (WHO GCM/NCD) at the World Health Organization Headquarters (Geneva, Switzerland) from its inception in 2014 as well as a former CEO of the Southern and Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. Dr Mikkelsen is trained as a Gynaecologist and Obstetrician and holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration and Management from the University of Oslo. Her current focus is on achieving the SDGs through the reduction of premature deaths from NCDs in the context of WHO General Programme of Work, and working across sectors with multistakeholders, within and beyond the health sector using innovation, implementation research, health literacy and new technologies.

Gilly Spurrier-Bernard is Vice-Chair, Patient Advisory Committee, European Cancer Organisation Member, European Cancer Organisation's Patient Advisory Committee, Chair, WECAN and Member, Melanoma Patient Network Europe. A Geologist/Environmental Scientist by training, she began in Advocacy when her husband became a stage 4 Melanoma Patient in 2008. 2014-Present - President of MelanomeFrance - a patient Association run by volunteer Patients/Carers that provides up to date information on Melanoma Disease, Treatments, Clinical trials, Health Systems, Side Effect management and survivorship, as well as support for patients and their families. Moderation of a Forum of >900 Francophone Patients/Carers. Contributions to HTA evaluations for the HAS (French Evaluator), Contribution to selection of INCa Funded Projects, Lobbying of Stakeholders for access to treatments and clinical research. Contribution to research projects into PROs, Microbiome, rare cancers. 2016-Present - Vice-present of Melanoma Patient Network Europe - Participation in several initiatives, (Horizon 2020, IMI Get real, PRO research, and several European Projects) Planning and running several Patient and Multi-stakeholder Congresses each year : European, Regional, National, special group (Rare Melanoma s and paediatric) and Pan-Cancer meetings. Meetings and Advisory boards with all stakeholders: Regulators, HTA, Industry, Clinicians and Health Economists. 2019-Present - Chair of WECAN - Co-ordinating and communicating the joint activities/initiatives of 22 Pan-Cancer umbrella Organizations – Planning and Contributing the annual WECAN Academy for Cancer Patient Advocates, In January 2020 planned and ran the first WECAN Science training for Cancer patient advocates EUPATI fellow, Member of the European Cancer Organisation's Patient Advisory Committee, Project Partner on 2 Horizon 2020 Projects, Speaker at ESMO, the European Cancer Summit, EHA, several European Patient Conferences on topics from Fertility and Cancer, Combatting Pseudoscience, Immunotherapy Side effects, Value Frameworks and many more. Contributing to several publications : The European Cancer Organisation Essential Requirement for Quality Cancer Care in Melanoma, ASCO Melanoma Treatment Guidelines, ESMO Patient Guide for Immunotherapy Side Effects. I am passionate about patient education because well-informed patients are best equipped to lead the decision making in their treatment and hence cope better with their life as a melanoma patient/carer. I believe that Patient Advocates can drive better Patient relevant research through direct access to the primary data source and collaboration with other useful stakeholders.

Mariya Gabriel is the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, Youth and Sport. Under her leadership, the new Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, and the cultural strand of Creative Europe programmes (2021-2027) will be defined and implemented. Her main priorities are excellence in research, innovation and education (ERA, EEA, EIA); tackling the R&I divide in Europe; Europe as a leader in strategic innovation areas through the digital and green transition, with a particular attention for young people and regions. “No one left behind” and “Think out of the box” are her mottos. Between 2017 and 2019, Mariya Gabriel was European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society. She was elected as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2009, 2014 and 2019. Mariya Gabriel is First Vice-President of the European People's Party (EPP), and, since 2012, Vice-President of EPP Women. Commissioner Gabriel is a board member of the United Nations youth programme Generation Unlimited (GenU). She has been ranked among the 50 most influential women in Europe in the field of cybersecurity by the leading European cybersecurity magazine SC Media UK (2019). Mariya Gabriel is also known for her involvement in the fight for gender equality. Among others, she received the prestigious Italian prize “Golden Apple” for highest achievements for women.