Brussels, 22 October 2026: The European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM), together with the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union, will convene a Health Attachés Roundtable in Brussels on 22 October to examine how Europe can turn scientific progress into practical access to innovative treatments and clinical trials.
Held at the Permanent Representation of Malta, the meeting will bring together representatives of Member States and stakeholders to address a central question for European health policy: when an innovative therapy or a potentially life-changing clinical trial is available somewhere in Europe, what needs to happen for an eligible patient to access it?
Europe has considerable scientific expertise, advanced clinical research networks and growing capabilities in personalised medicine. Yet the availability of innovation does not automatically translate into access. Differences in healthcare systems, clinical trial opportunities, diagnostic capacity, funding arrangements and cross-border coordination can still prevent patients from benefiting from advances developed elsewhere in Europe.
The roundtable will focus on two interconnected priorities: enabling patients to access clinical trials across national borders and exploring whether targeted European investment could help accelerate access to innovation while strengthening Europe’s competitiveness.
Cross-border clinical trials: Making opportunities accessible to patients
Clinical trials are essential to the development of new treatments, particularly in areas where therapeutic options remain limited. For patients with rare diseases, paediatric conditions or those who could benefit from advanced therapies, access to a suitable trial may depend on opportunities available in another Member State.
However, cooperation between research institutions, sponsors and regulatory authorities does not necessarily mean that patients can easily participate in trials outside their country of residence. Identifying eligible patients, ensuring access to appropriate diagnostic and molecular testing, arranging referrals, covering travel and accommodation costs, and maintaining continuity of care can all present practical challenges.
Addressing these barriers requires more than facilitating multinational research. It calls for effective arrangements connecting patients with suitable trials, specialised clinical centres and the healthcare systems responsible for their care.
The discussion will explore what Member States can do individually to improve access, where closer cooperation could make a difference, and whether a group of willing countries could develop a practical cross-border clinical trial access pathway. Particular attention will be given to opportunities in rare diseases, paediatric trials and advanced therapies, where expertise and eligible patient populations may be concentrated in a limited number of centres.
The objective is to identify practical steps towards making clinical research opportunities more accessible, regardless of where an eligible patient lives.
A European Innovation Fund: Connecting patient access and competitiveness
The second priority concerns the potential role of a targeted European Innovation Fund in accelerating patient access while supporting health innovation and European competitiveness.
As the EU considers its future funding priorities, the roundtable will examine whether a small-scale, time-limited instrument, potentially supported through the proposed European Competitiveness Fund, could address specific gaps that individual Member States may find difficult to resolve independently.
Such an approach raises important questions. Which technologies and capabilities should be eligible for support, including diagnostics, artificial intelligence and clinical trial infrastructure? How could funding help ensure that patients can access the testing, trials and treatments they need? And how could European investment complement national healthcare responsibilities rather than replace them?
The discussion will also consider how public and private investment might be combined, which funding arrangements could support implementation, and what practical steps would be needed to develop a potential three-year pilot from 2028.
The underlying question is not simply whether Europe should invest more in health innovation, but where European-level investment could make a tangible difference that national action alone cannot efficiently deliver.
From shared priorities to practical action
The roundtable will bring together perspectives from across Europe, with confirmed participants including representatives of the Permanent Representations of Italy, Poland, Sweden, Belgium and Portugal to the EU. This cross-country exchange will provide an opportunity to examine how national responsibilities, European cooperation and investment could work together to address persistent gaps in patient access.
Both priorities reflect a broader challenge for European health policy: translating scientific progress into outcomes that patients can experience in practice. Better coordination may help resolve some barriers, while others may require investment in infrastructure, services or capabilities that are currently missing.
The meeting will therefore focus on identifying practical next steps, clarifying what Member States can achieve individually and collectively, and determining where European-level action could add the greatest value.
Ultimately, the question is straightforward: if a clinically appropriate treatment or clinical trial is available somewhere in Europe, what must happen to make it genuinely accessible to the patient who needs it? Answering that question requires clear responsibilities, effective cooperation and targeted action to ensure that innovation delivers meaningful benefits across European healthcare systems.