New Memorandum of Understanding between the EAU and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine

On January 1, 2025, we formalised our longstanding partnership with the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This continued partnership will foster further academic collaboration, enhance scientific developments, and drive joint publications and policy initiatives, particularly within the field of prostate cancer treatment. 

What are the main objectives in the MoU?
The main objectives of the MoU include ongoing academic collaboration, expanding the partnership between EANM and EAU. A central focus is advancing the integration of nuclear medicine and urology in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, especially through innovative therapies like radioligand therapy (RLT). The MoU covers several areas of collaboration:

Educational and scientific activities
The two associations will collaborate on educational programmes such as joint lectures, courses, and webinars at the annual congresses of both events. The EAU and EANM will also exchange complementary booth space at each other’s events to ensure maximum visibility for both societies. The RLT Academy, a supporting organisation of the EANM, is a successful example of the already existing collaboration between both parties and will be continued with more educational activities.

Joint Policy Activities
The EANM and EAU will work together on policy initiatives and engage in joint sessions at political events within the European Union. We will also support each other in grant applications and policy development, specifically in radiopharmaceuticals and cancer treatment. A large factor of this effort will be the creation of joint statements that advocate for EU member states to support specific proposals from the European Commission.

Joint Publications
The societies agree to collaborate on publications, leveraging each other’s expertise for input and peer review, particularly in areas related to prostate cancer diagnostics and treatments. 

What does this collaboration mean for the future? 
This collaboration is hugely important for advancing theranostic treatments for prostate cancer, where diagnostic tools like PSMA (Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen) PET CT and targeted therapies such as PSMA Lutetium are advancing the management of metastatic disease. These advanced tools ensure that prostate cancer patients receive the most effective treatment, whether it involves chemotherapy or radioligand therapy, based on their individual needs and disease progression. The partnership between the EANM and the EAU ensures that urologists and nuclear medicine specialists work together in multidisciplinary teams to determine the optimal timing for radioligand therapies, which will be extremely beneficial to patients.

As urology and nuclear medicine continue to intersect, we are delighted that the collaboration between EAU and EANM will remain a cornerstone of European initiatives in radiopharmaceuticals, shaping the future of prostate cancer care and having an invaluable impact on international scientific exchange.