The mission of the European Reference Network on Paediatric Cancer (ERN-PAEDCAN) is to improve outcomes of childhood cancer and malignant haematological diseases by reducing the current inequalities in different member states. Comparative population-based cancer registry research has provided robust evidence for significant inequalities in survival from childhood cancer across Europe: the difference may be as much as 30% units, with worse outcomes in Eastern Europe. Despite a reduction in the geographical differences in the period 2005–09, the former socialist economies still have roughly 20% excess mortality from cancer in children compared with the rest of Europe. The PaedCan ERN aims to provide paramount requirements for ‘Cross-border healthcare’ allowing the provision of healthcare to children with cancer in a Member State other than the Member State of affiliation. We identify target groups with conditions requiring a particular concentration of resources or expertise, especially when the expertise with certain cancer conditions is rare and case volume low. Taking into account the potential burden on families seeking cross border health care ERN-PAEDCAN intends to establish mechanisms to facilitate movement of information and knowledge rather than patients. We aim to extend local and national ‘tumour board’ culture to the cross border level with identified and required ICT tools and eHealth networks. High-quality, accessible and cost-effective healthcare for childhood cancer are achieved by strengthening the integration of pre-existing knowledge and expertise, and fostering stronger cooperation between patients, professionals and healthcare authorities. The innovative contribution of ERN-PAEDCAN is a clear roadmap to approved expert referral sites and tumour advisory boards for healthcare providers fulfilling our vision of a more supportive environment for children with cancer with special needs by integrating pre-existing networks and knowledge across borders.
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ERN-RND is a network of 32 Healthcare Providers from 13 EU member states. ERN-RDN builds on existing expert centres and mature networks dedicated to rare neurological diseases (RND) as well as established rare disease infrastructures such as Orphanet, EURORDIS and RD-Connect. Through coordination and knowledge transfer, ERN-RND shall establish a patient-centred network to address the needs of patients with RND of all age groups, with or without a definite diagnosis, by implementing an infrastructure for diagnosis, evidence-based management, treatment and collection of patient data. The network will develop, disseminate, implement and supervise best practice guidelines and care pathways to optimize patient care and facilitate training and capacity building in the field. A special effort will be aimed to member states with less developed infrastructure for caring for RND patients, where no current partners are located, or with only affiliated or collaborative partners. ERN-RND will inform planning of European and national health care in RND, facilitating translation of research activities into clinical practice and the development of future therapies. Keeping in line with ERN-RND’s strategic objectives the six most important operational targets for year 1 will be:
• Kick ERN-RND off through a highly engaging kick-off meeting involving all stakeholders,
• Establish operability of all governance bodies as well as operational bodies such as working groups and disease expert groups,
• Establish and disseminate access points for all ERN-RND HCPs and pilot E-Health virtual consultation platform as ERN-RND access point for external clinicians and patients
• Consent and disseminate diagnostic flowcharts for all RND covered by ERN-RND
• Identify most important care needs for RND and design high impact strategies to address these needs
• Build ERN-RND web-site as THE RND information hub
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