The Joint Action on Personalised Cancer Medicine (JA PCM) was officially launched in Brussels, on 14 January 2026, bringing together around 360 participants from more than 140 organisations across 29 European countries, including EU Member States and associated countries.
Coordinated by Sciensano (Belgium), JA PCM supports the implementation of personalised cancer medicine across Europe, strengthening collaboration along the cancer care pathway from prevention to follow-up.
Opening the event, Belgian Minister of Public Health and Social Security Frank Vandenbroucke highlighted the importance of collaboration at European level to reduce inequalities in access to personalised cancer medicine:
“We must facilitate the exchange of good practices and support the development of common frameworks to reduce inequalities in access to personalised cancer medicine across Europe. Innovation must not widen gaps; it must help close them.”
Throughout the two-day meeting, partners presented the structure and objectives of the Joint Action, with a strong focus on implementation through concrete pilots and use cases in real-life settings.
These activities address key areas such as risk-informed cancer prevention, polygenic risk scoring, molecular diagnostics, liquid biopsies, Molecular Tumour Boards (MTBs), as well as data and health technology assessment to support evidence-based decision-making.
Marc Van den Bulcke, coordinator of JA PCM, emphasised the importance of a coordinated approach across the cancer care continuum:
“We fully recognise that prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up should be approached in a concerted way for optimal patient benefit. Through pilots and collaborative activities, JA PCM will support the implementation of personalised cancer medicine across Europe, building bridges between research, healthcare systems, and patient needs.”
The kick-off meeting also marked the start of a collaborative effort to build a strong European network, fostering knowledge sharing and cross-border cooperation.
Over the next four years, JA PCM will generate evidence and support countries in integrating personalised cancer medicine into their health systems in a sustainable and equitable way.