Health Policy
Discussion Forum and Information Package
As the largest network of oncology experts in Germany, the German Cancer Society not only deals with questions concerning cancer care, but also provides expert opinion on health policy issues in various committees, discussions and opinion forms. Our discussion forum "Brennpunkt Onkologie (Focus on Oncology) is held three times a year to address important public health topics.
The information package "360° Oncology" (in German) draws attention three times a year to the context of care in oncology and to medical innovations. The focus is also on the question of how both influence the lives of cancer patients and what consequences arise from this for political control in the health care system. The information package consists of a print magazine, a video interview and an additional infographic.
The National Cancer Plan
In collaboration with the Stiftung Deutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid) and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Tumorzentren (Association of German Tumor Centers), we are the co-founder of the German National Cancer Plan, which was launched in 2008 by the Federal Ministry of Health. The National Cancer Plan initially focused on the following fields:
• Further development of cancer screening,
• Further improvement in structural aspects of oncology care and quality assurance,
• Ensuring effective oncological treatment (initial focus on drug therapy),
• Strengthening patient orientation in cancer care.
The German Cancer Society is part of a number of working groups, involved in the implementation of the National Cancer Plan.
National Decade Against Cancer
At the "National Decade Against Cancer", which was started in 2019 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research together with many stakeholders, our former President Prof. Ortmann is part of the strategy group and co-chair of the working group "Generating knowledge by networking research and care".
Clinical Cancer Registries
A milestone in the implementation of the National Cancer Plan was the adoption of a new law in spring 2013 that provides the framework for the establishment of comprehensive clinical cancer registries by all the federal states of Germany. Moreover, under the new law, certain examinations for cancer screening will be conducted as organized screening programs in the future.