COVID-19 Information for the International Brain Tumour Community

The International Brain Tumour Alliance (IBTA) has assembled a list of COVID-19 links to information for our global community of patients, caregivers, healthcare and allied healthcare professionals and others.  We have grouped these links into various categories: (1) featured links, (2) global links, (3) links to information provided by brain tumour patient and caregiver charities and not for profits, (4) links to information from neuro-oncology societies, (5) free journal access to COVID-19 information, (6) information from pan-European organisations, (7) miscellaneous, (8) Covid-19 and cancer information, (9) pharmaceutical industry, and (10) information for individual countries.

In light of the growing global COVID-19 crisis, now more than ever, it is vital that accurate, up-to-date information is available to brain tumour patients, their families, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

We will endeavour to keep this page updated as more information becomes available but if you know of other reliable, accurate and up-to-date infomation for our community with regard to the COVID-19 situation, please do let us know by contacting kathy@theibta.org

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to all of the courageous medical personnel who are today on the front line of caring for people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.  Given the scale and impact of this current pandemic, their selfless bravery in treating these patients – at great risk to their own health – is nothing short of heroic.

Last updated 25/03/2021

COVID-19 Information

(1) Featured Links to urgent information regarding treatment for brain tumour patients

• COVID-19 Cancer Alliance Statement
• Urgent Considerations for the Neuro-oncologic Treatment of Patients with Gliomas During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Neuro-Oncology, free access)
• Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and its implications on triaging patients with brain tumors for surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy (available from Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment)
• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the symptomatic diagnosis of cancer: the view from primary care (available from Lancet Oncology)

(2) International

The World Health Organisation (WHO)

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak page;
• WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard

(3) Brain Tumour Patient Organisations’ Information for COVID-19

• International Brain Tumour Alliance (IBTA) COVID-19 Announcement
• Brainstust (UK): Corona Comms
• Brain Tumour Alliance Australia (BTAA): COVID-19 updates on homepage
• Cure Brain Cancer Foundation (Australia): important work will continue despite COVID-19; A message from our Head of Advocacy
• Japan Brain Tumour Alliance (JBTA): COVID-19 Information
• Joint statement from UK brain tumour charities/non-profits
• American Brain Tumor Association  (ABTA): COVID-19 and the Brain Tumor Community WEBINAR
• Brain Tumour Support (UK)
• The Brain Tumour Charity (UK): Coronavirus hub; BRIAN tool
• Brain Tumour Research (UK)
• National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) (US) update
• Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (US)

(4) Neuro-Oncology Societies

• British Neuro-Oncology Society (BNOS): Advice to patients with brain tumours during COVID-19 outbreak
• European Association of Neuro-Oncology: COVID-19 and Neuro-oncology: considerations for daily care of brain tumor patients
• The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO): Primary Brain Tumours in the Era of COVID-19 (on-demand webinar, free access with registration)
•  Indian Society of Neuro-Oncology (ISNO): Position Statement on Treatment Guidance in Neuro-oncology During Pandemics

(5) Free journal access to COVID-19 information

• Urgent Considerations for the Neuro-oncologic Treatment of Patients with Gliomas During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Neuro-Oncology, free access)
• May we deliver neuro-oncology in difficult times (e.g. COVID-19)? (Journal of Neuro-Oncology)
• Milan 2020: COVID-19, neuro-oncology and much more (Journal of Neuro-Oncology)
• Cambridge University Press: Coronavirus Free Access Collection
• Elsevier: Novel Coronavirus Information Center
• Science Journals: Coronavirus: Research, Commentary, and News

(6) Pan-European organisations

• The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EU): Coronavirus topic page; Situation update worldwide
• The EMA (European Medicines Agency): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – what’s new
• European Cancer Organisation: COVID-19 resources ; Statement on COVID-19 from the European Cancer Organisation’s Board of Directors
• EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe: Rare disease community raises alert over discrimination in critical care guidelines during COVID-19 pandemic
• European Patients Forum (EPF): COVID19 Resource Point
• EU Health Coalition  (the IBTA is a member of many of the organisations listed here as signatories, particularly, All.Can, EFNA, ECPC and EURORDIS): : Need for more solidarity and coordinated EU action to tackle COVID-19
• European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC): Coronavirus and the Palliative Care Response
• European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS): COVID-19
• European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO): What is COVID-19 and how will the pandemic affect my cancer care?
• European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO): “Radiotherapy in a Time of Crisis”, ESTRO Presidents’ Statement
• European Commission: Questions And Answers On Regulatory Expectations For Medicinal Products For Human Use During The COVID-19 Pandemic

(7) Miscellaneous

• Genetic Alliance (UK): COVID-19 Hub (Including rare condition specific information)

(8) COVID-19 and cancer advice

• All.Can: statement regarding continuity of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Cancer Commons: What Cancer Patients and Caregivers Need to Know About the Coronavirus Disease
• Cancer Research UK: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and cancer
• Cancer World: Delivering the best cancer care during the pandemic
• One Cancer Voice (UK): Advice on Coronavirus for people with cancer (Updated 7 April 2020)
• Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group: COVID-19 guidance for children and young people with cancer undergoing treatment
• Japan Cancer Society (Japan): New Coronavirus Measures For Cancer Patients (Video) (Japanese)
• National Cancer Research Center East hospital (Japan): About New Coronavirus Infections (Japanese)
• Japanese Society of Medical Oncology: Corona Virus-related Information (Japanese)
• Japan Rare Cancer Patients Association Network (Japan): Links to information on new Coronavirus infections (Japanese)
• Overseas Cancer Medical Information Reference (Japan): New Coronavirus Information Links (Japanese)
• Macmillan Cancer Support (UK): Cancer and coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Government of Scotland (UK): Coronavirus (COVID-19) Important advice for people with Cancer
• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): Coronavirus Resources; What People With Cancer Need to Know; Common Questions About Coronavirus 2019 and Cancer: Answers for Patients and Survivors
• The US NIH (National Institutes of Health): Coronavirus: What People with Cancer Should Know
• End Brain Cancer (US): Brain Tumour Patients and COVID-19 Webinar – Musella Foundation with  Eric T. Wong

(9) Pharmaceutical industry

• Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS): Statement on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Novartis: COVID-19 Information Center

(10) Individual Countries

Where available, links have been given to official COVID-19 pages for each respective country. This list of countries represents most of the 111 countries where the IBTA has active connections and in which recipients of its monthly e-News and Brain Tumour magazine live.  We are working to add the remaining countries which we hope to have posted as soon as possible.

Afghanistan

• Ministry of Public Health

Albania

• Ministry of Health and Social Protection

Algeria

• Ministry of Health, Population and Hospital Reform

Argentina

• Ministry of Health of the Nation

Australia

• The Australian Government Department of Health

Austria

• Federal Ministry Republic of Austria: Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection Federal 

Bahrain

• Ministry of Health

Bangladesh

• Directorate General of Health Services

Belarus

• Ministry of Health

Belgium

• Federal Public Service: Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment

Bolivia

• Ministry of Health

Brazil

• Ministry of Health
• Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria: Approaching glioblastoma during COVID-19 pandemic: current recommendations and considerations in Brazil

Bulgaria

• Ministry of Health

Cameroon

• Ministry of Public Health

Canada

• The Government of Canada
• BC Cancer information for patients

Chile

• Ministry of Health

China

• China Internet Information Center

Colombia

• Ministry of Health and Social Protection

Croatia

• Croatian Institute of Public Health

Cuba

• Infomed – National Medical Science Information Center

Cyprus

• Ministry of Health

Czech Republic

• Ministry of Health

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Ministry of Health

Denmark

• Danish Health Authority

Dominican Republic

• Ministry of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment

Ecuador

• Ministry of Health

Egypt

• Ministry of Health and Population

El Salvador

• Government of El Salvador

Estonia

• Ministry of Social Affairs

Ethiopia

• Ministry of Health

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Ministry of Health

Finland

• Finnish institute for health and welfare

France

• Government of the French Republic

Georgia

• Ministry of Health

Germany

• Federal Ministry of Health
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologie (German Society of Neurology): Effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the care of neurooncological patients

Ghana

• Ministry of Health

Greece

• National Public Health Institute of Greece

Guatemala

• The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance

Hungary

• Hungarian Government

Iceland

• Directorate of Health

India

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Indonesia

• Ministry of Health

Iran

• Ministry of Health and Medical Education

Iraq

• Ministry of Health

Ireland

• Health Service Executive

Israel

• Ministry of Health

Italy

• Ministry of Health

Jamaica

• Ministry of Health & Wellness

Japan

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Jordan

• Ministry of Health

Kenya

• Ministry of Health

Kyrgyzstan

• Ministry of Health

Latvia

• Centre for the Prevention and Control of Diseases

Lebanon

• Ministry of Public Health

Liechtenstein

• Government of Liechtenstein

Lithuania

• Ministry of Health

Luxembourg

• Ministry of Health

Madagascar

• Ministry of Public Health

Malta

• Government of Malta

Malaysia

• Ministry of Health

Malawi

• Public Health Institute

Mongolia

• Ministry of Health

Morocco

• Ministry of Health

Mexico

• Government of Mexico

Nigeria

• Federal Ministry of Health

Nepal

• Ministry of Health and Population

New Zealand

• Ministry of Health

Norway

• Norwegian Institute of Public Health

North Macedonia

• Ministry of Health

Oman

• Ministry of Health

Pakistan

• Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination

Panama

• Ministry of Health

Philippines

• Department of Health

Poland

• Government of Poland: Polish / English

Portugal

• Ministry of Health

Romania

• Ministry of Health

Russia

• Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health

Serbia

• Ministry of Health

Singapore

• Ministry of Health

Slovakia

• Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic

Slovenia

• Government of Slovenia

South Africa

• National Department of Health

South Korea

• Ministry of Health and Welfare

Spain

• Government of Spain

Sri Lanka

• Ministry of Health

Sweden

• Public Health Agency of Sweden

Switzerland

• Federal Office of Public Health

Tanzania, United Republic of

• Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children

Thailand

• Ministry of Public Health

The Netherlands

• National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

Trinidad and Tobago

• Ministry of Health

Turkey

• Ministry of Health

Uganda

• Ministry of Health

Ukraine

• Ministry of Health Care

United Arab Emirates

• Ministry of Health and Prevention

United Kingdom

• The National Health Service
• British Medical Association (BMA): COVID-19: ethical issues and guidance note
• Charity Bank: COVID-19 Resource Hub for Charities and Social Enterprises
• Government of UK: What you need to do; Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK update; Get support as a clinically extremely vulnerable person; Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for the charity sector; Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 – Updated 5 June 2020
• Plans to ease guidance for over 2 million shielding – 22 June 2020
• The Patients Association: Coronavirus
• The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Coronavirus (COVID-19) Clinical Guidelines (including COVID-19 and radiotherapy guidelines), Managing the long-term effects of COVID-19, COVID-19 and vitamin D
• Government of Scotland: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Important advice for people with Cancer

United States

• The US NIH (National Institutes of Health): Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak page; Coronavirus: What People with Cancer Should Know
• The US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): Coronavirus.gov
• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): Coronavirus Resources; What People With Cancer Need to Know; Common Questions About Coronavirus 2019 and Cancer: Answers for Patients and Survivors

Uruguay

• Ministry of Public Health

Vietnam

• Ministry of Health

Zimbabwe

• Ministry of Health / Facebook page