National Cancer Hub open for expressions of interest

The Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) and the Directorate General of Health (DGS) have launched a call for expressions of interest to join the National Cancer Hub Stakeholder Group . Participation in this group is open to the entire national community, both individually and representing national entities, such as health institutions, academies, research institutes, scientific societies, professional associations, patient organizations, industry, civil society organizations, among others. The deadline for submitting proposals is February 28, 2022.

The National Cancer Hub is the national structure that brings together relevant actors in the scientific, technological and social areas for the fight against cancer, in order to successfully implement, in Portugal, the European Cancer Beating Plan (EBCP – Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan ), being coordinated by the DGS and AICIB, an entity that supports, finances and promotes clinical research and biomedical innovation in Portugal, and of which the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) is one of the founding members.

The operation of the National Cancer Hub is based on two groups of actors, the Policy Group and the Stakeholders Group . The activity of the latter, for which the period for expressions of interest is now open, will mainly focus on mapping funding opportunities in the area of cancer, including the Cancer Mission, the EU4Health Programme, the Digital Europe Programme, among other European and national programmes; in the creation of thematic working groups, dedicated for example to issues of prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and/or survivors of the disease, in line with the National Cancer Control Plan 2021-2030; in identifying national priorities in several relevant thematic areas; and in promoting the participation of Portuguese entities in Calls Europeans related to cancer. The group will operate during the development period of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, up to 2030.

The DGS and AICIB seek, through the creation of the National Cancer Hub and this group in particular, to ensure the maximisation of the Portuguese community's participation in European funding opportunities in the area of Cancer, the incorporation of research results, innovations and scientific evidence into national health systems and policies, and the improvement of healthcare, quality of life and fair treatment for cancer patients and citizens.

The submission form and additional information about the operation of the group and the National Cancer Hub are available on the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) website .