All-Island Cancer Summit: Key Takeaways and Next Steps

As part of European Week Against Cancer (25–31 May), EIT Health Ireland-UK is proud to spotlight the inaugural All-Island Cancer Summit, held at Croke Park on 14 May. The event brought together cancer leaders, policymakers, researchers, industry experts, and patient voices from across the country. The focus was delivering more effective, efficient, and equitable cancer research and care.

EIT Health Ireland-UK was proud to sponsor the event and host a booth, engaging with attendees throughout the day. The summit comes at a critical time. Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Ireland and is expected to nearly double in incidence globally by 2040. Yet up to 60% of cancer deaths could be avoided through prevention and early detection.

As panellists and speakers noted, collaboration between public institutions, academia, and industry is key to addressing this crisis and the all-island approach is central to that strategy. The summit also marked the launch of a report ‘Harnessing the Power of Data to Transform Cancer Research, Care and Innovation across the Island of Ireland’ developed by the eHealth Hub for Cancer. The report calls for an urgent “All-Island Call to Cancer Data Action” and outlines a 7-Point Cancer Data Plan.

One of the key themes of the day was the need for improved data infrastructure and policy support for patients with advanced cancers. In Ireland, more than 44,000 people  are diagnosed with cancer each year with survival rates varying significantly depending on cancer type and patient demographics.

During the panel discussion on the ‘Wishlist for policymakers on the island of Ireland’, the panelists called for more sustained government investment and urged policymakers to adopt a “right to be forgotten” policy, which would ensure that cancer survivors are not financially discriminated against when seeking insurance or loans. The discussion  also highlighted the urgent need to better integrate patient data across the island, enabling more informed policy decisions and targeted interventions.

The event made clear that tackling cancer is not just a health challenge, it is a societal imperative that demands coordination across borders and sectors.

What’s next?

EIT Health recently hosted a Blood-Based Cancer Screening Roundtable in the UK, bringing together leading experts to explore the potential of early detection through emerging technologies.

Stay tuned — our full think tank report, outlining key insights and recommendations, will be launching soon. Find out more.