Research
European Atlas on Clinical Trials in Cancer and Hematology
The European Atlas on Clinical Trials in Cancer and Hematology (EuroACT) is a research initiative launched by WECAN and the European haematology community. The project aims to map and better understand the clinical trial landscape across Europe using data extracted from relevant European clinical trial registries. Analysis of clinical trial data up to February 2025 revealed geographical inequalities in trial activity and substantial variation in the implementation of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), highlighting the need for more equitable, patient-centred clinical research.
The EuroACT Dashboard is a free, interactive atlas of cancer and haematology clinical trials across Europe, covering studies from inception until February 2025. It enables patients, advocates, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to explore clinical trial distribution, patient-reported outcomes, and publication trends through interactive maps, charts, and filters.
When using data or visualisations from the EuroACT Dashboard, please cite the source as: EuroACT Dashboard (WECAN Foundation, HemCAB, EPAI & Syreon Research Institute), accessed [date]. We encourage the use of this free resource in presentations, publications, reports, policy work, and other dissemination activities.
We thank the EuroACT Steering Committee and the wider European community engaged in improving equity and patient-centred outcomes. We also thank the organisations that contributed to the interpretation of the results: AIPITaps (Associazione Italiana Porpora Immune Trombocitopenica APS); ALAN (Acute Leukemia Advocates Network); EMA (European Medicines Agency); EORTC; Hungarian HTA; Irish Haemochromatosis Association; Kulich Consulting Bt; MPE (Myeloma Patients Europe); Stiftung Lichterzellen; T.U.T.O.R Rare Thoracic Tumours; University of Hertfordshire; and VHL Europa (Von Hippel-Lindau Alliance Europe). The views expressed are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of their respective organisations.
UNDERSTANDING THE CLINICAL TRIAL LANDSCAPE
EuroACT builds upon a research project initiated by Myeloma Patients Europe where data on clinical trials and QoL instruments over a period of 20 years was collected. The data gathered focused on myeloma in Eastern countries of Europe.
To be able to compare across disease areas, identify gaps, and overcome challenges, more evidence is needed. EuroACT expands the scope of the project to 27 diseases areas in the WHO European Region over 2017-2022.
Hypothesis: Most clinical trials are run in a few European countries and some countries are neglected
Access to clinical trials is a topic that features highly on the agenda of most European patient organisations, particularly those advocating on behalf of patients with cancer, haematologic, and rare diseases. Patient access to trials is hugely important. Clinical trials provide the option to access new and emerging therapies which can present additional options for survival, preventing, delaying, or reversing disease progression, and improving or maintaining quality of life. In addition, access to trials within a patient’s country of residence improves the likelihood of the studied medicine or therapy becoming available to patients within that country.
Often, patient organisations will engage in dialogue with pharmaceutical companies to attempt to understand and address the issue around inequities in access. Patient organisations frequently report frustrations in their efforts, particularly when asking pharma to address the question of access in Central and Eastern Europe, or outside of the “Big 5” economies (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK).
Data gathered by this project will provide the evidence of the clinical trial landscape in Europe. With this evidence, patient organisations can engage in more meaningful conversations with stakeholders on challenges, patterns, and opportunities for improving access to clinical trials.
Hypothesis: Many clinical trials are conducted with meaningless or no Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) e.g., Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL).
When considering the issue of quality of clinical trials, patient organisations also raise concerns about the tools used to measure PRO / HRQoL in trials where collection of data takes place. An increasing number of validated generic, symptom-specific and disease-specific measures for PRO / HRQoL exist, but they are not used consistently or in a meaningful way. Patient organisations are keen to gather data on understanding not only whether PRO / HRQoL tools are used in studies, but which of those tools are utilised in clinical trials to advocate for utilisation of the tools considered meaningful for PRO / HRQoL measurement and make recommendations for best practice around PRO / HRQoL tools utilised within respective disease areas in clinical trials.
Project Overview
EuroACT is a collaboration between WECAN and the European Hematology Community. The project analyses Phase II–IV interventional cancer and haematology clinical trials with at least one European study site, registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, EudraCT, or CTIS, and ongoing or completed by February 2025.
Syreon Research Institute is an independent research institute, providing expert services since 2008 in the fields of evidence synthesis, health economics, health policy, health technology assessment (HTA), and public health. It aims to apply scientific evidence and health economic knowledge in practice to maximise health gain for society. Syreon believes that meaningful patient engagement creates significant added value and aims to address patients’ perspectives at all levels of healthcare decision making. In EuroAct, Syreon led the data extraction, harmonisation, and analysis of clinical trial records, supporting the development of the EuroACT evidence base and dashboard.
PROJECT NEWS
Supporters
EuroACT is hosted by the European Patient Advocacy Institute gUG on behalf of WECAN. Funding was obtained from the following funders. Supporters had no role in the development of this project
