Introduction & Objectives
The aim of this poster is to introduce the work of the EAU Policy Office (EAU PO) and to disseminate information on key focus areas. The aim of the EAU PO is to influence policy and legislation in the European Union and beyond that have an impact on urological care. Our ultimate ambition is better outcomes for patients. Prof Van Poppel is the first Chair, with Prof Van Kerrebroeck as Vice -Chair.
Materials & Methods
Advocacy is the core function of the EAU PO - it is the act of influencing policy or legislative decisions. Urological care is delivered in a complex health system; the elements of which have been defined by the WHO (see Figure 1). Considering that health systems are influenced at multiple levels (from local, to national and international level) and the complex and interconnected nature of health system elements, the EAU has developed six key working themes. We have focused on elements where the EU and international actors have more influence on policies or regulation which impact urological care. People – for example, patients, healthcare workforce, communities and families, taxpayers and decision makers – are at the centre of health systems.
Figure 1 (WHO | Systems Thinking for Health Systems Strengthening)
Results
With the WHO framework in mind we have focused our work on six overlapping and complementary themes:
- EU Cancer Plan
The EAU priority is to ensure uro-oncology conditions are well placed in the EU Cancer Plan, in particular Prostate Cancer, the EU’s most common male cancer. We are advocating the inclusion of guidelines on risk based early detection of Prostate Cancer.
- Research and innovation
The EAU will strategically engage with EU funding channels, ensuring optimal impact for urological research. We will also tackle challenges of unnecessary, burdensome bureaucracy in the conduct of clinical studies.
- Digitalisation of health
The EAU will experience of coordinating two EU funded Big Data projects to assist in the development of the European Health Data Space, ensuring that urological patients benefit from the use of digital data and Real World Evidence, and that data driven tech are employed to their benefit.
- Regulation of medicines & devices
The EAU will use its position as a member of the Healthcare Practitioners Working Party, and the JRC committee of scientific advisors on medical devices to facilitate access of medicines and devices which are of benefit to urology patients.
- Rare & complex urological conditions
The EAU will use the partnership with the eUrogen to defend strategies that support urological patients with rare and complex conditions.
- Patient advocacy
Joined up advocacy initiatives for and with patients must be the foundation of EAU PO work. The EAU will strengthen advocacy with urological patient organizations, and develop a strand of awareness-raising on an issue relevant to urology patients (outside of uro-oncology).