Identifying Critical Steps Towards Improved Access to Innovation in Cancer Care

The European Cancer Organisation's consensus paper for improved access to innovation. 

• Important innovations need not be complex or expensive. Modest or incremental practice changes can have transformative impact
  
• Structured pathways are required to regularise and systemise the introduction of innovation within health systems
  
• There must be greater readiness to remove or discontinue practices or interventions that are inefficient
  
• Patient benefit should be placed at the heart of any valuation of an innovation, giving adequate weight to quality of life and progression-free survival
  
• Real world data should be used to assess the benefit of innovations beyond the pharmaceutical domain, for example in relation to potential improvements delivered by innovations in surgical techniques, medical devices or new services
  
• The information provided to patients and healthcare professionals about ongoing and completed research should be improved
  
• The potential savings that certain innovations can create in the longer term for healthcare budgets and society should be better understood (e.g. in areas like psychosocial support)
  
• The sharing of registry data across countries should be improved via common protocols, structures and transparency
  
• A whole-system approach to innovation should be promoted via multi-disciplinary leadership (e.g. reviewing current practices and identifying improvement opportunities)