Joining forces to optimise cancer treatments in clinical practice: EMA & EORTC launch Cancer Medicines Forum with academia

A significant step at the European level and in terms of regulatory science, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) together with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) has launched the Cancer Medicines Forum (CMF).

Major innovations have emerged in recent years, such as personalised medicines and immunotherapies, that help cancer patients by offering them new tools to fight their disease. However, as new treatments become available, their optimal use often remains poorly documented – leaving patients, doctors, and society facing many questions

Through the CMF, EORTC and EMA are joining forces and will be working together to establish new routes for identifying evidence gaps and to develop more effective solutions for access to cancer treatment through healthcare systems.

Bringing together representatives from academia and the European medicines regulatory network, the CMF aims to advance research into optimising cancer treatments and contribute to fostering high standards in cancer care in the EU.

The CMF met for the first time on 31 March 2022, to discuss challenges around treatment optimisation research*. You can download the minutes of the launch meeting here. Moving forward, the CMF will meet quarterly, and the outcomes of discussions will support the prioritisation of actions to fight cancer at the European level.

Read more: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-establishes-cancer-medicines-forum-academia-optimise-cancer-treatments-clinical-practice

*Treatment optimisation is a process intended to enhance the long-term efficacy, adherence, safety, convenience, and affordability of a therapy. Its ultimate goal is to expand access to effective treatment to all of those it will benefit. EORTC is committed to leading and supporting treatment optimisation research with the aim of ensuring that treatment approaches – whether known or new – benefit the individual patient through improving survival and quality of life, leaving no patient behind.