At AstraZeneca, we are committed to advancing precision medicine to help ensure that patients receive the right treatment at the right time. This starts with accurate, timely and innovative diagnostics. As our understanding of disease evolves and treatment becomes increasingly personalised, diagnostics are becoming more sophisticated. Digital pathology enable tissue samples to be transformed into high-resolution digital images that can be viewed and shared.

Computational pathology takes this evolution a step further. The digital image permits more quantitative assessment as well as exploration of novel analyses and biomarkers. In a further step, combining digital pathology with AI and integrating pathology images with genomic, radiological, clinical and other data, computational approaches can help extract objective, clinically relevant information from complex datasets and provide a more detailed understanding of tumours and their microenvironment.

But innovation alone is not enough. Realising the potential of these technologies requires the right infrastructure, governance and collaborative environment to support their responsible adoption in healthcare.

This is why AstraZeneca supports initiatives such as BELDIPA (Belgian Digital Pathology Initiative), which brings together healthcare professionals, academic institutions, policymakers, patient organisations and industry partners to advance the implementation of digital pathology and AI in Belgium. The BELDIPA report provides a practical framework with recommendations across governance, financing and reimbursement, quality standards, interoperability, education and stakeholder collaboration.

Collaboration across disciplines and sectors will be essential to translate innovation into clinical practice. By strengthening the environment for innovative diagnostics, Belgium has an opportunity to advance precision medicine and ultimately help its benefits reach patients. 

Developing innovative cancer treatments takes years of clinical research. When a medicine shows positive results, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) can approve it for use. After that, the Belgian Commission of Reimbursement decides whether the medicine will be reimbursed by the Belgian healthcare system. 

Since April 2025, Belgian patient organizations have been formally involved in these reimbursement decisions, helping ensure that patient perspectives are part of the evaluation of new treatments. To contribute effectively, it helps to understand how clinical trials measure whether a treatment works and how safe it is. Some measures look at long‑term outcomes, such as overall survival. Others look at earlier signs of benefit, called intermediate endpoints, such as disease‑free survival and progression‑free survival. These can be observed sooner in a clinical trial and may offer an earlier indication of how a treatment is helping. 

In a recent advisory board, Belgian oncology patient organizations received an overview of the most common intermediate endpoints and then discussed which of these feel most clinically meaningful from a patient perspective. Their reflections, priorities, and practical insights are summarized in this article: read on to learn which endpoints patients say truly matter and why. 

Healthcare systems are under pressure, faced with workforce shortages, an ageing population and increases in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Budgetary limits and climate disasters further add to the burden, leaving systems overstretched, vulnerable and ill-equipped to respond to future needs. These challenges call for vision, cooperation and above all: action.

Against this backdrop, the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR) aims to build more sustainable and resilient health systems. PHSSR is a non-profit, global collaboration between London School of Economics, the WHO Foundation, the World Economic Forum, AstraZeneca, KPMG, Philips, the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI).

Building on the Belgian PHSSR-report published in 2023, AstraZeneca BeLux worked alongside Prof. Annemans to establish a Think Tank on the Future of Healthcare. This group of diverse experts -under the leadership and authorship of Prof. Annemans – was tasked with developing a framework for future-proofing the Belgian healthcare system. The resulting paper ‘Towards a future-proof health system in Belgium’ outlines 10 key principles as well as guidance for their practical implementation.

During an event in the Federal Parliament on the 13th of June 2025, the Think Tank gathered alongside policymakers, healthcare professionals, academics and patient advocates to share insights on the future of our healthcare system. This milestone merely marks the beginning of our journey towards future-proofing the Belgian healthcare system. We are keen to bring additional stakeholders on board to build tomorrow's healthcare together.

If you are interested in joining the Think Tank and/or this initiative, please contact Laura Capitaine: laura.capitaine@astrazeneca.com - Corporate Affairs Lead

Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally. Advanced diagnostics are revolutionizing cancer care by enabling faster, more accurate and personalized treatment decisions.

Our latest whitepaper, developed in collaboration with patient advocates, medical experts, health authorities, and insurance experts, dives deep into the barriers and breakthroughs of advanced diagnostics in on.

Discover how timely and equitable access, patient-centered policies, and holistic reimbursement models can revolutionize cancer care, improve patient outcomes, and enhance their quality of life.

If you are shaping cancer care – or care about it – this is essential reading.

The Ruysbroeckveld Nature Park in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, developed in collaboration with AstraZeneca, has entered a new phase of expansion. In autumn 2024, AstraZeneca BeLux employees planted 2,600 trees, bringing the park closer to its goal of becoming a 5-hectare green oasis near Brussels.

This initiative, led by the local government of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and supported by AstraZeneca, Forest Fwd and the Flemish government, aims to enhance biodiversity and improve the quality of life for local residents. With new green spaces, walking paths and recreational areas, the park contributes to a healthier environment.

AstraZeneca’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond medicine, supporting projects like this to improve air quality and public health.

At AstraZeneca BeLux, inclusivity and employee well-being are at the heart of our workplace. In 2024, we introduced extended birth leave for fathers and co-parents, reinforcing our commitment to equitable parental support.

This initiative adds two extra months to the 20 legally mandated days, allowing fathers and co-parents to fully embrace this life-changing moment. By promoting shared caregiving responsibilities, AstraZeneca aims to foster a more balanced and inclusive work environment.

As a leader in the pharmaceutical industry, we continue to drive meaningful change, ensuring all employees can thrive both personally and professionally.