New policy for non-European ENETS Centers of Excellence (CoE)

Dear interested, future CoEs, dear current ENETS CoEs, dear all,

We appreciate your interest and applaud your desire to fulfil the high standards of this programme. The ENETS Centers of Excellence (CoE) programme will be celebrating its 15-year anniversary in 2023 – 2024!

During this time, we have not only been able to use the programme as a tool to develop better diagnosis, treatment, care, and research for NET patients in recognised and certified centers throughout Europe, the programme has extended to include 67 centers in Europe and beyond.

After coming out of a challenging pandemic period, ENETS aims to make its initiatives more efficient, set up direct links between its projects, minimise duplication of efforts in the field of NET, and concentrate our limited resources.

For these reasons, the ENETS Executive Committee has decided to review and finalise a new CoE policy, which will be valid for CoE applications in 2023-2024 and will be evaluated after a 3 to 5 year period.

Changes to the ENETS CoE policy include:

  • Keeping a focus on Europe and European centers by:
    • Implementing the ENETS CoE programme within Europe
    • Strengthening the link between its initiatives (care, education, research, communication)
    • Working directly with ERN-EURACAN to streamline and create a unique NET accreditation and certification programme in Europe, therefore
  • Looking to actively deepen and extend collaboration with NET scientific societies and networks outside of Europe by supporting international NET societies to establish and carry out their own (national) audit programmes.
    • The focus will be shifted to knowledge sharing and exchange on a national level, rather than just with individual centers applying for ENETS CoE accreditation.

ENETS feels certain that these decisions will not only expand ENETS’ policy on the organisation of NET-dedicated multidisciplinary teams and NET referral centers. The policy change will continue to provide many international centers with the chance to keep in touch with ENETS and improve their knowledge about NET clinical and research activities.

Based on the aforementioned reasons, applications for new ENETS CoEs will only be open to European centers (including United Kingdom) over the next 3-5 years. This change in policy will not affect currently accredited extra-EU ENETS or non-European CoEs.

We look forward to continuing to assure the highest standards of NET care and research quality – not just in Europe, but with our colleagues and NET societies throughout the world.

Yours sincerely,

 

Eva Tiensuu Janson and Nicola Fazio

ENETS Chair & ENETS CoE Programme Chair

June 2023