ESMO has shared key concerns on cancer prevention and control with H.E Ms. Inga Rhonda King and H.E. Ambassador Olivier Maes - the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process in preparation for the Fourth High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health (HLM4) - emphasising the urgent need for robust commitments to improve cancer prevention and care for patients worldwide.
Key priorities include integrating comprehensive cancer services into universal health coverage, accelerating cancer prevention measures—such as stronger tobacco controls, air pollution reduction, and expanded HPV and HBV vaccination programs—and strengthening the oncology workforce. Further, global research and clinical trial frameworks must ensure underserved populations, including patients with rare cancer, have access to innovative treatments. Reliable cancer data through national registries is also essential for evidence-based policymaking.
The letters are part of continuous ESMO activities related to the preparatory process for the HLM4, with the aim to ensure critical issues concerning cancer prevention and control are reflected in the 2025 Political Declaration on NCDs, expected to be adopted by world leaders in September in New York.