Jesper Fisker - Candidate for the UICC Board of Directors

Jesper Fisker is seeking election to the UICC Board of Directors to help advance UICC’s mission of reducing the global cancer burden and strengthening collaboration across governments, research and civil society. He sees UICC as uniquely placed to bring together policymakers, patients and civil society in ways that create real change for people affected by cancer around the world. 

Jesper Fisker brings a combination of executive leadership, health policy, reform experience and organisational governance. Before joining the Danish Cancer Society, he served as Permanent Secretary in several Danish ministries, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior and Health, and the Ministry of Social Affairs, where he led major policy reforms and public institutions. He also chaired Denmark’s Health Structure Commission, whose recommendations led to the country’s biggest healthcare reform in 25 years. 

As CEO of the Danish Cancer Society, Jesper Fisker leads one of Denmark’s largest health NGO, with around 400,000 paying members and 35,000 volunteers. He leads work across research, prevention, and support for patients and relatives, and oversees the Danish Cancer Institute with its strong international partnerships. He also brings international experience from working with WHO, the UN, European and Nordic cancer organisations, the NCD Alliance in East Africa, and through recent engagement in UICC’s Reimagining Cancer Research in Europe and UICC’s Solidarity Fund for Ukraine.

Jesper Fisker can bring a strategic and coalition-driven perspective to the UICC Board of Directors. Throughout his career, he has worked across government, healthcare systems and civil society to build partnerships, shape policy and implement complex reforms. His contribution would not only be to help set direction, but also to help turn priorities into action and support UICC’s work through practical leadership, collaboration and implementation. 

The most powerful tool in cancer prevention is reducing tobacco and nicotine use. Jesper Fisker believes the global response must move beyond mitigation and towards elimination. Every year, tobacco cause 8 million deaths worldwide and remain the single most preventable cause of cancer.

As a candidate for the UICC Board of Directors, Jesper Fisker wants UICC to help drive stronger international cooperation on tobacco and nicotine endgame strategies. Countries must be able to adapt solutions to their own context, but they should not have to face legal, trade and regulatory barriers alone. He will work for UICC to convene dialogue, share lessons and help countries move their ambitions into action. 

Inequality remains one of the greatest challenges in global cancer care, both between countries and within them. Jesper Fisker points in particular to access to oncology medicines, where some health systems can offer new life-saving treatments quickly, while others face long delays or prices they cannot afford.

As a candidate for the UICC Board of Directors, he wants to help strengthen UICC’s work on transparency, fair pricing and shared learning across countries. His aim is to support collaboration between governments and civil society so that innovation in cancer treatment benefits patients more fairly across the world. He will also work to advance UICC’s ATOM Coalition on Access to Oncology Medicines. 

A strong and independent civil society plays a vital role in cancer prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, patient support and accountability. Community and patient organisations often reach people where health systems cannot, helping raise awareness, improve prevention and give patients a stronger voice.

As a candidate for the UICC Board of Directors, Jesper Fisker wants to strengthen collaboration between civil society and healthcare systems. Drawing on his experience from health reform, international partnerships and work with organisations including WHO, the UN and the NCD Alliance, he wants to help empower local actors, strengthen UICC’s networks and support civil society in shaping cancer policy and practice. 

Research is a defining part of the Danish Cancer Society’s work. We have our own institute, the Danish Cancer Institute, which contributes cutting-edge research across key areas of the cancer field, including diagnostics, treatment, late effects, and rehabilitation. With around 270 employees from 30 nationalities, the Institute is a highly specialised international research environment and home to some of the world’s leading cancer researchers. This gives us a strong in-house foundation for advancing knowledge and helping shape progress across the cancer agenda.

Moreover, research is part of our core mission, and more than 60% of our funds go directly to research, reflecting the central role research plays in driving progress against cancer. 

The Danish Cancer Society runs Denmark’s largest knowledge centre for cancer prevention. Our prevention work builds on strong research into cancer risk factors and health behaviour and is translated into campaigns, partnerships, counselling, analysis, and advocacy.

We work across areas including tobacco and nicotine, alcohol, diet, physical activity, overweight, sun exposure, HPV vaccination, early detection, and screening. This is essential because many cancer cases can be prevented, and because social inequality continues to shape cancer risk and outcomes. 

The Danish Cancer Society supports people affected by cancer through a broad range of services for both patients and relatives. Across the country, we offer counselling, activities, communities, and practical support designed to meet people where they are and respond to the many different challenges cancer can bring.

Support is available through cancer counselling centres and services in 46 locations, through our cancer hotline, online counselling at cancer.dk, the digital forum Cancerforum, and the app Sammenholdet. Together, these services help ensure that no one has to navigate cancer on their own, and that patients and relatives can find guidance, reassurance, and a sense of connection at some of the most difficult moments in life. 

The Danish Cancer Society works to shape the political decisions that define how cancer is prevented, detected, treated and lived with. We have helped put cancer at the centre of the political agenda in Denmark, including through the introduction of the national cancer pathways, and we continue to play an active role in major policy discussions such as Cancer Plan V. Our political work has also contributed to concrete improvements for people affected by cancer, including the preservation of extended sick pay rules, broader access to dental subsidies after cancer treatment, the reinstatement of maximum waiting time rules for all patients with suspected cancer, and new solutions to ease the financial burden of medicine costs. Through dialogue with decision-makers at local, national and European level, we work to turn knowledge and patient experience into lasting change. 

Selected interviews, articles and appearances featuring Jesper Fisker in international contexts. 

Sky News 2026

United Kingdom

Jesper Fisker explains the Danish approach to cancer care and what the UK can learn from Denmark.

Denmark has become a cancer pioneer - this is why UK is lagging behind

Cancer care: What can the NHS learn from Denmark?

BBC 2025

United Kingdom

Jesper Fisker discusses how Denmark transformed cancer outcomes and what the UK can learn from the Danish experience.

What the NHS can learn from the European country (...)

The Times 2025

United Kingdom

Jesper Fisker contributes to the discussion of Denmark’s cancer results and what the NHS could learn from its approach.

Why Britain is looking to Denmark to transform cancer care

Cancer Research UK 2025

United Kingdom

Jesper Fisker shares lessons from Denmark’s national cancer plan and its role in improving cancer survival.

What Denmark (...) can teach us about improving cancer survival

Hankyoreh 2026

South Korea

Jesper Fisker shares Danish perspectives on cancer care and health policy during an international exchange in South Korea.

“환자 권리 강화가 의료 완성”…덴마크가 증명한 25년의 변화 [건강한겨레]

Newswire 2026

South Korea

Jesper Fisker discusses healthcare and cancer policy with a South Korean parliamentarian as part of an international exchange.

주한덴마크대사관, 덴마크암협회 회장 방한 계기 정책 대화 및 간담회 개최

Cancer Research UK 2019

United Kingdom

Jesper Fisker shares perspectives on Denmark’s progress in cancer survival and what the UK can learn from the Danish approach.

Measuring up: How does the UK compare internationally on cancer survival?

Building partnerships, supporting cancer care and sharing knowledge across borders

UICC 2024

Jesper Fisker helped support €1.2 million in collaborative cancer prevention research across six European countries, including projects in Ukraine, Sweden and Latvia. 

Over EUR 1 million awarded (...) to advance cancer prevention in Europe

UICC 2022

Jesper Fisker announced a donation of up to DKK 3 million from the Danish Cancer Society to support Ukrainian cancer patients, families and relatives during the war.

UICC members mobilise to support people from Ukraine living with cancer

Sermitsiaq 2025

Greenland

Jesper Fisker is involved in efforts to establish a dedicated cancer support centre in Greenland, giving people affected by cancer a place for advice and support. 

Nappaanersiorneq: Nunatsinni kræftimik nappaateqartut namminneq illoqalersut

Sermitsiaq 2022

Greenland

Jesper Fisker is featured in coverage of funding for a new cancer support centre in Nuuk, supported by the Danish Cancer Society.

Kræfteqartut Nuummi illussaannut aningaasaliissuteqarneq

Cancercentrum 2024

Nordic Cancer Union

Jesper Fisker welcomed 110 cancer professionals from across the Nordic countries to discuss cancer plans, patient pathways and how to improve early diagnosis and treatment.

Samarbete över landsgränserna ska stärka tidig diagnostik och behandling

Selected conversations in English on cancer care, health policy and the Danish experience. 

Sky News 2026

United Kingdom

Jesper Fisker joins Sky News’ podcast to discuss why the NHS is falling behind Denmark on cancer care and survival.

Why is the NHS lagging behind on cancer care?

The Health Foundation 2025

United Kingdom

In conversation with Michelle Mitchell, Jesper Fisker shares Danish lessons for the UK’s upcoming national cancer plan. 

The upcoming national cancer plan (...) with Michelle Mitchell and Jesper Fisker