Effective international collaboration central to 2015 UICC Partners’ Day

With the welcome support of Bupa, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Novartis Oncology and Roche, discussed were different areas where international collaboration can drive positive change in cancer care and prevention.

After opening remarks from Pamela Fralick, CEO and President, Canadian Cancer Society, the first of two morning plenaries took place. Organised by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, it stressed how private-private and public-private partnerships spur innovation in oncology treatment, and the ways to make them more effective for health systems.

The next session run by Novartis Oncology focused on the important topic of the evolution of access to quality care and its needs, in the context of collaboration between governments, NGOs and the scientific community. The discussion explored various perspectives, including the need for a better understanding of cancer and the intricacies of the medicines themselves, as well as the evolution of healthcare systems and the measurement of clinical outcomes and monitoring of patients in remote regions – all crucial steps to broadening access to quality oncology care worldwide.

After lunch, and remarks from Cary Adams, CEO, UICC, the afternoon kicked-off with a thought-provoking panel session on the harnessing the power of women to drive positive change in oncology, and beyond, organised by Roche. Inspirational thought leaders from academia, patient advocacy, healthcare and public policy explored how international collaboration can successfully harness power of women as ‘change agents’ to tackle the cancer burden faced across the globe. The team from Roche also showcased insights from a new report highlighting women’s breakthrough contributions to cancer, as well as the continued burden that cancer places on their socioeconomic development.

The final plenary of the UICC Partners’ Day was organised by Bupa; and, though last, was certainly not least. Bupa proposed an interactive discussion on how business, governments and NGOs can work together to harness the power of workplaces as a public health setting for the prevention and control of cancer. The session included the latest research insights on multi-sector partnerships and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and practical advice on how to generate long-term collaborations that create shared-value.

After the conclusion of the plenary sessions, the following evening events were run and the day concluded.

• My Child Matters: A case study in the Philippines; Organised by Sanofi Espoir Foundation
• The International Relay for Life in Turkey; Organised by the American Cancer Society (an invitation only session)
• Launch of the Cancer Atlas in Turkish; Organised by the Turkish Association for Cancer Research and Control

Speaking about the day, Cary Adams commented: “It’s fantastic to see UICC partners invest time and energy to work closely with our members around the world in addressing cancer. UICC and the Turkish Association for Cancer Research and Control would like to formally recognise and thank the sponsors for their contributions to today’s fantastic event.”