Nutrition care is an integral part of patient-centred medical care: a European consensus

The EU4Nutrition stakeholder group, which EFAD is a partner of, published its policy brief Integrated Nutrition Cancer Care which will be actively brought to the attention of health policymakers across Europe, ensuring that its important findings and recommendations reach key decision-makers in the field.

Deriving from the Thematic Network “Integrated Nutrition Cancer Care”, an initiative of the European Commission to promote discussions about public health issues, the group recently published the scientific article Nutrition care is an integral part of patient-centred medical care: a European consensus, that stresses the need to listen to patient voices with regards to nutrition and formulate actions to secure integrated nutrition care to all patients with cancer.

The policy brief, based on the key insights of the article, highlights the crucial role that nutrition management plays in the cancer care continuum, emphasizing its impact on clinical outcomes, quality of life, survivorship, and treatment costs.

The first print of the policy brief was officially handed over to John F Ryan, Director of Public Health of the European Commission by Jacqueline Bowman-Busato, EASO Policy Lead,  Joost Wesseling, Executive Director of the European Nutrition for Health Alliance and Marianna Kalliostra, EFAD’s Communications Manager.

Mr Ryan stated: “The fact that the conclusions have been published in detail in a scientific journal gives credibility and we very much appreciate the efforts to bring consensus between organizations, to reach a common position on such an important topic.

Annemieke van Ginkel-Res, EFAD Honorary President: “While healthcare is becoming more patient-centred, evidence-based nutrition interventions are still not accessible to all patients with cancer. Every European patient with cancer should have access to safe and appropriate nutritional care provided by dietitians to support a healthier population while leaving no one behind.”

By engaging policymakers through these briefings, the EU4Nutrition Stakeholder Group strives to drive positive change in cancer care policies and practices. By advocating for the integration of nutrition services into cancer care frameworks, policymakers can help improve patient outcomes, enhance the quality of life, and pave the way for a more comprehensive and patient-centred approach to cancer treatment in Europe. The briefings facilitated dialogue between policymakers and key stakeholders, including healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups, and researchers, to promote collaboration and the exchange of best practices in integrated nutrition cancer care.

Thematic Network “Integrated Nutrition Cancer Care”

In 2021, the European Nutrition Health Alliance (ENHA), the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD), and the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) secured the opportunity to lead one of the three “Thematic Networks” for the European Union’s Health Policy Platform (HPP) in 2022. Their designated area of focus was Integrated Nutrition Cancer Care.

Subsequently, a consortium comprising over 10 European and regional organizations led the Thematic Network. Together, they co-signed the Joint Statement, which was officially presented on May 5th, 2022, during the European Health Policy Platform’s annual event held at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels.