Health, life and death in the same sentence
- Sofia Lindén
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
What does it take to bring new personalised treatments to Norwegian cancer patients faster? This was a key question at CONNECT’s annual meeting during Arendalsuka.
“The most difficult thing I talk about is health, life and death in the same sentence, but that is simply the reality of the world. With all due respect, we need to take a deep breath and have a system that stands the test of time.”
This was the message from Truls Vasvik, Member of Parliament (Labour Party) and member of the Standing Committee on Health and Care Services, when CONNECT brought together the Norwegian cancer community to discuss precision medicine during this year’s Arendalsuka.
Challenges the healthcare system
Precision medicine is about providing the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. CONNECT is a public-private partnership working to implement such treatments in Norway.
“Precision medicine challenges our healthcare system. We do not have an insurance-based healthcare model. That makes this difficult. Every clinician wants the best for their patients, but even in one of the world’s wealthiest countries, we cannot spend all our resources on this alone,” Vasvik argued.
Vasvik pointed out that the prioritisation criteria had undergone thorough review during the development of the government’s white paper on healthcare priorities.
“It is quite fascinating that many people believe we have spent too much money on the Government Quarter, yet there we know roughly what every nail costs. Everything we are discussing here, on the other hand, is confidential. I know some would argue that we pay far less than everyone else. I am not saying that is right or wrong, but it makes the discussion difficult.”
World champion in health data
Precision medicine is not only about introducing new treatments. It also involves biomarkers, genetic testing and diagnostics.
“This is something we say over and over again: we are the world’s best country for health data, yet we still fail to make full use of it. Here is a living example that it is actually possible,” said Vasvik, referring to a new biobanking project presented during the meeting.
“In a geopolitical landscape that can frighten even the wisest person, we need to be ahead of the curve. I believe we are doing exactly that in an area of great importance. I also see this in the cancer field through our engagement with the EU. The more we contribute, the more we will get back. That is why we must succeed,” Vasvik said.
Praised public-private partnership
CONNECT brings together researchers, clinicians, industry representatives, patient advocates and healthcare bureaucrats to discuss and develop solutions in precision medicine. Vasvik praised what the partnership has achieved:
“We do not agree on everything, and we are not satisfied with everything, but these discussions show how far we can go, including through public-private collaboration. It is often treated as something of a taboo term, but within the framework established here, I am very pleased with what has been achieved.”
Watch the presentations and listen to the full discussion by streaming the event here:
The meeting has also been published as an episode of the Radium Podcast, allowing you to listen to the entire conversation.
Agenda
1. What If My Treatment Is Not Available?
Marius Lindberg, lawyer, Norwegian Cancer Society
Truls Vasvik, Member of Parliament (Labour Party), Standing Committee on Health and Care Services
2. Clinical Trials in Precision Medicine: Lessons from the IMPRESS Study – What Comes Next?
Åslaug Helland, oncologist, Oslo University Hospital
3. Artificial Intelligence: How Can AI Be Used to Improve Diagnostic Efficiency and Response Assessment?
Digital Pathology and AI: Tarjei Hveem, Head of the Department of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital
4. National Project on Biobanking and Registration of Cancer Patient Data: How Can We Close the Gaps to Achieve Complete Genomic Profiles, and What Data Does the Pharmaceutical Industry Need?
Steinar Thoresen, Medical Director, Nordic RWE
Solveig Kvam, Senior Biomedical Scientist, Biobank1 / Biobank Norway
Liv Marit Dørum, Section Head and Professional Lead for Quality Registries, Cancer Registry of Norway
Hilde Enserink, Medical Director, MSD Norway
Truls Vasvik, Member of Parliament (Labour Party)
Comments