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Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) - Prevention and/or early diagnosis of cancer

SC1-BHC-17-2020 (RIA Research and Innovation action)

The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases[1] (GACD) call will focus on implementation research proposals for the prevention[2] and/or early diagnosis of cancer in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) and/or in vulnerable populations[3] in High- Income Countries (HIC)[4].

The world is facing a critical healthcare problem due to ageing societies, unhealthy lifestyles, socio-economic inequalities, and a growing world population. Cancer is becoming one of the most important public health problems worldwide. In 2018, it is estimated that 181 million[5] people have been diagnosed with cancer and 9.6 million have died from it. Predictions suggest that 30 million people will die from cancer each year by 2030, of which three-quarters in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

With an estimated 30-50% of avoidable cancers, it is a leading cause of premature death, reducing a country’s productivity. Current cancer prevention and control do not fully reflect ethnic, cultural, environmental, socio-economic and resource differences. In particular, limited implementation research is conducted on cancers primarily found in LMICs and vulnerable populations in HIC. In order to achieve the United Nations' sustainable development goal 3.4[6], implementation research and healthcare efforts are needed to prevent and control cancers in these countries and populations.

Scope

Proposals should focus on implementation research for the prevention and/or early diagnosis of cancer on in LMIC and/or in vulnerable populations in HIC. Proposals should build on interventions with promising or proven effectiveness (including cost-effectiveness) for the respective population groups under defined contextual circumstances. For promising interventions, a limited validation period can be envisaged. However, the core of the research activities should focus on their implementation in real-life settings. The proposed interventions should gender-responsive.

The aim should be to adapt and/or upscale the implementation of these intervention(s) in accessible, affordable and equitable ways in order to improve the prevention and early diagnosis of cancer in real-life settings. Interventions should meet conditions and requirements of the local health and social system context and address any other contextual factors identified as possible barriers.

Each proposal should

Focus on implementation research addressing prevention, and/or early identification strategies derived from existing knowledge about effective and/or promising interventions.
For screening interventions, the pathway to referral for positive cases should be included.
Include a strategy to test the proposed model of intervention and to address the socioeconomic and contextual factors of relevance to the targeted region and community.
Lead to better understanding of key barriers and facilitators at local, national and international level that affect the prevention and/or early diagnosis of cancer.
Include health economics assessments as an integral part of the proposed research, including considerations of scalability and equity.
Propose a pathway to embed the intervention into local, regional or national health policy and practice, addressing:

A strategy to include policy makers and local authorities (possibly by being part of the consortium), as well as other relevant stakeholders such as community groups, patient groups, formal and informal carers and any other group, where ever relevant from the beginning of the project, which will contribute to the sustainability of the intervention, after the end of project.

Relevance of project outcomes/evidence for scaling up the intervention at local, national and international level and then scaled-up appropriateness with respect to the local social, cultural and economic context.

Research under GACD involves regular exchange of research findings and information across participating projects by means of cross-project working groups and annual joint meetings. Wherever feasible, projects should harmonise and standardise their data collection and exchange data. Applicants must budget for annual costs of having two team members participate in one annual face-to-face meeting of the Annual Scientific Meeting (location to vary annually). Applicants must budget their involvement in GACD working groups and other GACD wide activities, beyond their projects.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 1 to 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact

The proposals should address one of or combinations of:

Advance local, regional or national cancer prevention and/or early diagnostic health policies, alleviating the global burden of cancer;
Establish the contextual effectiveness of cancer intervention(s), including at health systems level;
Improve tailored and affordable prevention and/or early diagnosis;
Provide evidence and recommendations to national programmes and policies focusing on prevention, screening, and/or early diagnosis;
Inform health service providers, policy and decision makers on effective scaling up of cancer interventions at local, regional, and national levels, including affordability aspects for users and health providers;
Reduce health inequalities and inequities, including due consideration of socio-economic, gender and age issues where relevant, in the prevention and/or early diagnosis of cancer at both local and global levels;
Provide pathway to cancer care for the patients diagnosed with cancer;
Maximise the use of existing relevant programmes and platforms (e.g. research, data, and delivery platforms);
Contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 3.4.