In a letter dated February 24, 2022, the Directorate General for Health (DGS) referred the matter of “the incidence of malignant brain tumors” to Santé publique France and the National Cancer Institute (INCa).

This referral notes that, as part of the work of STOA (Panel for the Future of Science and Technology, formerly Science and Technology Options Assessment), a report on the health effects of 5G was published in July 2021. In their analysis, the experts cite the study “National Estimates of Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Metropolitan France Between 1990 and 2018,” co-produced by Santé publique France and INCa in collaboration with the cancer registries of the Francim network and the Hospices Civils de Lyon. The authors of the STOA report highlight the increase in the incidence of histologically confirmed glioblastomas between 1990 and 2018 and attribute it primarily to growing exposure to environmental and occupational risk factors. This publication had already been cited in France by associations concerned about this trend, which they attribute to mobile phone use.

Santé publique France and the National Cancer Institute are selecting experts to assist them in addressing the DGS’s questions regarding this increase in cases. The committee will be required to provide an opinion or expert report containing epidemiological and clinical data regarding trends in the incidence of primary cancers of the central nervous system and their subtypes, particularly glioblastoma. More specifically, the expert committee will focus on providing information that allows for:

• conduct a detailed analysis of incidence data from cancer registries regarding primary tumors of the central nervous system, and more specifically glioblastoma;

• to determine the need for a literature review to consolidate knowledge on the evolution of diagnostic practices and risk factors for these tumors.

The findings of the expert review should help identify avenues for epidemiological research to consolidate knowledge:

• the trends in tumor incidence,

• risk factors,

• and the evolution of diagnostic practices for these tumors.

This committee is part of Action I.7.2 of the 2021–2030 Ten-Year Cancer Control Strategy, aimed at “Developing methods for detecting and investigating cancer clusters, relying in particular on registries.”

The committee will consist of about ten experts.

We are seeking candidates with the following professional backgrounds:

• Epidemiologists or public health specialists responsible for cancer registration and coding;

• Biostatisticians specializing in the analysis of epidemiological cancer data;

• Epidemiologists specializing in occupational and environmental exposures (ionizing radiation, electromagnetic fields, pesticides, air pollution, etc.);

• Metrologists/assessors of dietary, environmental, or occupational exposures, or experts in biomonitoring;

• Neurologists, surgeons, oncologists, or radiologists specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of brain cancers;

• Pathologists.

Experience is also expected in the following areas:

• Ability to work collaboratively/experience participating in expert panels;

• Experience in formulating recommendations for public authorities;

• Critical analysis of literature reviews.

A chairperson will be appointed from among the committee members and will be responsible for coordinating the committee’s activities, in collaboration with Santé publique France and INCa.

Appointment

The Experts are appointed by a joint letter from the Director General of Santé publique France and the President of the National Cancer Institute.
The committee’s membership will be published on the websites of Santé publique France and the National Cancer Institute.

Term of office and required availability

• 30 months starting from the date the joint letter is sent

• 6 to 7 meetings per year: some in person, others via videoconference.

Travel and accommodation expenses are reimbursed by the National Cancer Institute according to the rate approved by its Board of Directors.

Compensation for loss of income in the case of self-employed individuals and compensation for time spent participating in meetings and for work performed will be based on the scale established by the Board of Directors of Santé publique France.

Independence and Public Declaration of Interests

Given the best practices for preventing conflicts of interest in effect at Santé publique France, the receipt of personal compensation from industry entities within the scope of the committee’s missions and participation in scientific or strategic advisory activities for those same entities constitute a conflict of interest that is incompatible with appointment to the committee.

Members of the Scientific Council, the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, and the Steering and Dialogue Committee of Santé publique France are not eligible to apply, nor are members of Santé publique France’s expert committees.

To prevent conflicts of interest, candidate members undertake, upon submission of their application and, if selected, for the duration of their term, to declare in their DPI any collaboration with companies, institutions, firms, or organizations whose activities, techniques, or products fall within the committee’s scope of competence.

Any potential conflicts of interest, including those held prior to their appointment, are reviewed by both institutions based on the public declarations of interest provided by candidates in response to the call for applications.

Prior to each meeting, the Santé publique France and INCa project team identifies potential conflicts of interest among members regarding the items on the agenda and decides, if necessary, whether to limit or exclude the participation of certain members. The handling of conflicts of interest is noted in the meeting minutes.

The declarations of interest of committee members are made public on the DPI SANTE ministerial portal.

Your personal data is processed under the responsibility of Santé publique France and the National Cancer Institute. This processing is based on the fulfillment of their public interest mission related to the selection of experts in the field of public health and, if your application is successful, related to the convening of the committee and the monitoring of its work.

For unsuccessful candidates: CVs and application materials will be deleted within three months following the conclusion of the selection process.

For candidates selected for the committee:

• Your identification and professional data (which may be integrated into the contact management tool of both agencies), your CV, and your application materials will be retained for up to one year after the end of your term as a committee member;

• Certain financial documents (bank account information, proof of identity, etc.) that may be requested from you at a later date—as they are necessary for the reimbursement of your travel expenses and allowances—must, in accordance with the law, be retained for 5 years following the final payment.

The data will be processed by authorized personnel at Santé publique France and the National Cancer Institute, and their subcontractors will have access to this information only to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties.

You may exercise your rights to object, access, rectify, erase, and restrict the processing of personal data by contacting Santé publique France, Data Protection Officer, 12 rue du Val d’Osne, 94415 Saint Maurice Cedex or dpo@santepubliquefrance.fr (please mention the name of your committee), as well as to the National Cancer Institute at the following address: servicejuridique@institutcancer.fr (you can find the contact information for the Institute, its representative, and its Data Protection Officer on e-cancer.fr)

If you believe that your data rights are not being respected, you may file a complaint with the National Commission on Informatics and Civil Liberties.

For more information on these data processing activities: dpo@santepubliquefrance.fr or servicejuridique@institutcancer.fr