The SHIELD Joint Action project: To prevent infections from developing into cancer
The SHIELD JA project aims to make it easier to get vaccinated, tested and treated in order to prevent infections from developing into cancer.
Last updated on 16 March 2026
In brief
- Every year, more than two million people in Europe develop cancer
- One in eight of these cancer cases are caused by an infection that could have been prevented
- Early detection helps to treat more effectively
- The European Union funded almost €20 million for the SHIELD (Strategies for Health Interventions to Eliminate Infection related Cancers) Joint Action project to gight against infections leading to cancer
Every year, more than two million people in Europe develop cancer. One in eight of these cancer cases are caused by an infection, such as HPV, hepatitis B and C, HIV and tuberculosis, that could have been prevented.
Many of these infections can be prevented, detected earlier, and treated more effectively if patients receive the right support in time. For example, the number of people affected by cervical cancer has decreased in several countries after the HPV vaccine has been included in their childhood vaccination programmes, although there are differences between countries.
That is why the European Union has invested up to €20 million in the ‘SHIELD Joint Action’ (Strategies for Health Interventions to Eliminate Infection related Cancers) project to fight against infections leading to cancer.
The project was launched on 15-16 December 2025. Denmark’s largest hospital Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen hosts the project’s European kick-off meeting with participation of a wide range of European partners and experts from clinical, public health, policy and community bodies and opening addresses by the EU Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, and the Danish Minister of Health, Sophie Løhde.
What is the objective of SHIELD?
The new EU-wide project, “SHIELD Joint Action,” aims to make it easier to get vaccinated, tested and treated in order to prevent infections from developing into cancer.
The goal is to:
- to ensure that more people have access to HPV and hepatitis B vaccination
- to improve detection and testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HPV, HIV, and tuberculosis.
Too many people develop cancer through infections that we could have prevented. The SHIELD Joint Action will focus on ensuring that no one falls through the system. Ultimately, it’s about saving lives and creating more equity in health across national borders and social divides.
Which countries are participating in SHIELD?
The SHIELD Consortium consists of 69 partners from 25 European countries.
- From EU/EEA: Denmark (Coordinator), Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden.
- From non-EU/EEA: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Norway, Ukraine.
The role of ANRS MIE
The SHIELD project is coordinated by Centre of Excellence for Health, Immunity and Infections (CHIP), Rigshospitalet, Denmark. ANRS MIE has been tasked, alongside the Public Health Centre of Ukraine, with monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the SHIELD project, ensuring that it remains in line with the objectives, timelines and expected outcomes.
Its specific objectives are:
- The ongoing monitoring of project tasks, milestones and deliverables to ensure they are completed on time
- The evaluation of project performance in terms of objectives, stakeholder satisfaction and added value
- The control and management of risks and changes during project implementation.
25
participating countries
69
organisations involved in the project
euros 25
million total project budget
The activities of the SHIELD project
The development of models to support prevention and vaccination
A large part of the project is dedicated to leading experts developing models based on country data that can show what happens to the level of disease when you either increase or decrease a given intervention.
Questions like ‘How quickly and how much does the number of people living with HIV increase in a country if, for example, preventive efforts like distributing clean needles to people who inject drugs are stopped?’ or ‘How long or how often is it worthwhile to screen for cervical cancer in a country where HPV vaccination is part of the childhood vaccination programme?‘ will be addressed.
The models will help countries plan more effective prevention and vaccination programmes. In the long term, this means that preventive services will be more accessible, more relevant, and more inclusive and cost-effective.
Other measures to help prevent infections that can lead to cancer
In addition, the project aims to:
- support countries in eliminating stigma and discrimination related to HIV, viral hepatitis, TB and STI, as a strategy to increase prevention, testing and treatment of these infections;
- train educators and healthcare professionals to avoid stigma in counselling and treatment;
- develop better and more accessible information about prevention and treatment for populations and patients – including vulnerable population groups;
- strengthen monitoring of vaccination coverage – especially among vulnerable groups;
- improve and tailor prevention, testing and treatment in the health, social and prison systems;
- collect and share experiences and best practices across Europe so that people receive better and more uniform services, no matter where they live.
The project is a unique opportunity to collaborate across Europe. Both the European Parliament and the European Commission want to see an increased focus on the potential of preventing these infections. At CHIP, we are both pleased and ready to lead the ambitious SHIELD project