BRUSSELS, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — United European Gastroenterology (UEG), along with eight patient associations, unveiled the Digestive Health Roundtable Manifesto 2025 at the European Cancer Summit 2025. This initiative aims to elevate patients as co-creators, not just beneficiaries, in shaping digestive health policy, research, and care. Experts from various sectors gathered at UEG Week 2025 to address the rising burden of digestive diseases in Europe, highlighting disparities in prevention, early detection, and care quality.
Digestive diseases significantly impact individuals, families, and healthcare systems across Europe, as shared by Professor Patrizia Burra, UEG Public Affairs Group Chair. The manifesto advocates for a collaborative approach where patients’ experiences drive the prioritization of research, policymaking, and clinical approaches. It lays out three key focus areas: digestive cancer care improvement, standardized patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and enhanced patient involvement in clinical trials.
Digestive cancers alone contribute to over 700,000 deaths annually in UEG member states, representing one-third of cancer-related mortality. The manifesto stresses the need for enhanced prevention, screening, primary care integration, and public awareness to enable earlier cancer detection. Furthermore, it calls for the establishment of universally accepted and comprehensive PROMs frameworks that prioritize quality of life in healthcare evaluation and decision-making.
Patient participation in clinical trials enhances study design, ethics, and applicability to real-world scenarios. The manifesto advocates for equitable trial access through decentralized approaches, a ‘Patient Inclusive Trial’ designation to acknowledge best practices, and capacity-building programs for researchers. UEG, alongside patient associations like AOECS, DiCE, ECPO, ELPA, the EOS Network, IFCCA, ILCM, and PCE, calls on European policymakers to integrate patient collaboration into digestive health policies, adopt common PROMs and trial engagement frameworks, and support coordinated implementation of the manifesto.
Professor Burra emphasizes that transforming digestive health in Europe necessitates more than scientific advancements; it requires trust, cooperation, and joint responsibility. Involving patients at all stages ensures that prevention, treatment, and innovation truly benefit those they aim to serve.
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