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 Stakeholders Group of the National Cancer Hub. Participation in this group is open to the entire national community, both individually and representing national entities, such as health institutions, academia, research institutes, scientific societies, professional associations, patient organizations, industry, and 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 the relevant actors in the scientific, technological and social areas for the fight against cancer, in order to successfully implement in Portugal the European Cancer Plan (EBCP - Europe's Beating Cancer Plan), and is coordinated by the DGS and the AICIB, an entity that supports, finances and promotes clinical research and biomedical innovation in Portugal, 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 focus mainly on mapping funding opportunities in the area of cancer, including Mission Cancer, the EU4Health Program, the Digital Europe Program, among other European and national programs; the creation of thematic working groups, dedicated, for example, to the issues of prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and/or survivors of the disease, in line with the National Cancer Plan 2021-2030; the identification of national priorities in various relevant thematic areas; and the promotion of the participation of Portuguese entities in the European Calls related to cancer. The group will operate during the development period of the European Cancer Plan until 2030.

The DGS and AICIB seek, through the constitution of the National Cancer Hub and this group in particular, to ensure the maximization 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 health care, quality of life and equity of 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.