Bridging policy and innovation: SPARC-Europe's vision for radioligand therapy in cancer care.

Abstract

SPARC-Europe, the Stakeholder Political Alliance for Radioligand Cancer Therapies, was launched in October 2020. It represents an ambitious and collaborative initiative aimed at improving outcomes for cancer patients across Europe by advancing the policy and infrastructure needed to institutionalize Radioligand Therapies (RLTs). The current steering committee comprises several types of health care professionals, such as nuclear medicine specialists, clinicians, nurses, physicists, radio-pharmacists, and patient advocates, under a shared vision. Since its inception, SPARC-Europe has achieved several notable milestones, including the publication of a high-level position paper on improving access to RLTs., the production of an investment pathway document to guide infrastructure development, the recording of compelling patient testimony videos to humanize the need for expanded access, the organization of two influential policy events dedicated to RLTs, the support of motions for resolutions in the European Parliament that call for investments in radionuclide supply and hospital infrastructure. SPARC-Europe is continuing to deepen its work through targeted research and pilot programs, including the RADAR (Radioligand Awareness Research), a global survey focused on neuroendocrine neoplasms and prostate cancer to assess awareness, accessibility, and perceptions of RLTs among patients and physicians. By bringing together policy, science, and patient advocacy, SPARC-Europe is not only supporting innovation but actively shaping the frameworks needed to deliver it to those who need it most. As the European health landscape continues to evolve, SPARC-Europe offers a model for how patient-centered, evidence-based, and policy-savvy coalitions can drive meaningful change.