Sarcoma Policy Checklist developed into peer-reviewed paper for BMC Cancer

The Health Policy Partnership (HPP) has authored an article published this month in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Cancer.

The paper – ‘Working to improve the management of sarcoma patients across Europe: a policy checklist’ – details the creation of the Sarcoma Policy Checklist, a tool to help policymakers improve the lives of sarcoma patients in Europe. HPP Managing Director Suzanne Wait and Senior Researcher Shannon Boldon are among the authors of the article.

The Sarcoma Policy Checklist was developed by an expert group of leading patient, clinical and industry representatives from across Europe. HPP assembled the expert group and launched the report at a European Parliament event hosted by Marlene Mizzi MEP in February 2017. The report and associated infographic have been published in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

The checklist identifies five priority areas where policymakers may focus efforts for the greatest impact on patient care:

• Designated and accredited centres of reference for sarcoma in each country
• Greater professional training for all health care professionals involved in sarcoma care
• A multidisciplinary approach to care for every patient with sarcoma
• Greater incentives for research and innovation
• More rapid access to effective treatments.

This paper is the latest of several peer-reviewed publications in the field of oncology that HPP has co-authored. Last year, members of the HPP team contributed to papers published in the European Journal of Cancer and the Journal of Cancer Policy.

To read the newly published paper, see Working to improve the management of sarcoma patients across Europe: a policy checklist on the BMC Cancer website.

For a comprehensive list of publications authored by members of the HPP team, see our Publications page.

For more information about the Sarcoma Policy Checklist, see the project page.