The Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute Foundation (IDIVAL) is participating in the European project PRAISE-U Plus, a new phase of the PRostate cancer Awareness and Initiative for Screening in the European Union, which aims to improve the early detection of prostate cancer through the development and implementation of population-based screening programmes adapted to individual risk.
Dr Ignacio Durán Martínez, principal investigator of the project at IDIVAL and a specialist in the Medical Oncology Department at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV), took part in the recent PRAISE-U and PRAISE-U Plus European meetings, held in Brussels on 10 and 11 September. The meeting brought together specialists, researchers and representatives of European healthcare systems to share the results and experiences of the first pilot programmes and establish the priorities for this new phase.
The meetings addressed key issues for moving towards more efficient early detection models, including the role of magnetic resonance imaging and biopsy, the clinical and economic evaluation of programmes, patients’ experiences and the potential to extend pilot models to broader populations.
Artificial intelligence and equity in access to diagnosis
PRAISE-U Plus, funded by the European Union’s EU4Health programme, began on 1 September 2026 and will run for three years.
The project builds on the progress achieved through PRAISE-U, which has enabled the evaluation of screening strategies based on individual risk in different European territories. The new phase aims to generate evidence to facilitate the implementation of organised prostate cancer early detection programmes across different healthcare systems.
Its main areas of work include the responsible integration of artificial intelligence tools into diagnostic imaging, improving the quality of diagnostic tests, and developing strategies to reduce inequalities in access to screening programmes.
IDIVAL’s contribution to the European project
IDIVAL’s participation, driven by the Medical Oncology and Urology Departments at HUMV, is mainly structured around two areas of work within the project.
Firstly, it will participate in the European AI Expert Group, which is dedicated to analysing and guiding the responsible integration of these technologies into prostate cancer early detection programmes. The group will address issues related to scientific evidence, technical requirements, quality, regulation and the ethical considerations associated with the use of artificial intelligence in screening.
Secondly, IDIVAL will contribute to the development of strategies aimed at improving participation and access among populations facing greater barriers to benefiting from these programmes, providing clinical knowledge and expertise from the healthcare sector.
Participation in PRAISE-U Plus will enable IDIVAL to collaborate with leading European institutions in cancer research and prevention, contributing to the development of more personalised, sustainable and equitable early detection models.
The PRAISE-U Plus project (101314241) is funded by the European Union through the EU4Health programme and coordinated by the European Urological Foundation.
