ELPA High-Level Policy Event on Liver Cancer
On November 20, 2024, the European Liver Patients’ Association (ELPA) convened a high-level policy meeting in Brussels, focusing on the prevention, early detection, and treatment of liver cancer.
This significant event, in collaboration with newly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), aimed to modernise EU healthcare policies to prioritise liver health.
The session began with a networking lunch, followed by welcoming speeches from key figures, including Marko Korenjak (President, ELPA), Antonella Cardone (CEO, Cancer Patients Europe), and video messages from Prof Dr Aleksander Krag (Secretary General, EASL) and notable policymakers such as MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis. Then, Prof. Dr. Manuel Romero Gomez highlighted liver cancer’s growing threat to public health, stressing the urgency of prevention, early screening, and addressing underlying risk factors like fatty liver disease, hepatitis, and rare liver conditions. To conclude, a dynamic roundtable featured contributions from influential stakeholders, including:
- MEP András Tivadar Kulja
- MEP Francesco Torselli
- Frazer Goodwin (Senior Communications & Advocacy Manager, European Public Health Alliance – EPHA)
- Vicki Mooney (Executive Director, European Coalition for People living with Obesity – ECPO)
- Geraldine Joanny (Scientific Officer, Innovative Health Initiative – IHI)
- MEP Michalis Hadjipantela
MEP Hadjipantela and Marko Korenjak concluded the event with a call to action, urging stakeholders to work together to reduce inequalities in cancer care and strengthen liver health strategies.