NTOG

Nordic Collaboration Principles

Expert Network

NTOG Collaboration Principles Draft 24.4.2026

The Nordic Thoracic Oncology Group (NTOG) is a clinician-led, non-profit collaborative network advancing thoracic oncology care, research, and quality improvement across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

NTOG works with a range of stakeholders — clinicians, researchers, patient organisations, nurses and allied health professionals, registries, and industry — in a transparent, independent, and ethically responsible manner. The principles below set out the framework that guides this collaboration.

Effective: Draft evaluation December 2026 · Reviewed annually by the NTOG Steering Committee.

1. General principles

  • Every collaboration must advance NTOG’s mission of patient-centred thoracic oncology care.
  • NTOG retains full scientific, clinical, and organisational independence.
  • Transparency, integrity, and accountability guide all collaborative activities.
  • Collaborations comply with applicable Nordic and national laws, ethical standards, and data protection legislation (including GDPR).
  • Conflicts of interest are declared in writing before any collaboration begins and updated annually.

2. Collaboration with pharmaceutica and medical technology industry

  • Industry partnerships may support research, education, registry infrastructure, or congress activities.
  • Industry partners have no influence over clinical recommendations, guidelines, or scientific conclusions published under the NTOG name.
  • Financial or material support is managed transparently and disclosed in line with ICMJE, EFPIA, and applicable national disclosure standards.
  • NTOG does not endorse specific commercial products, services, or brands.
  • Sponsorship of NTOG activities does not confer authorship, voting rights, or editorial control.

3. Collaboration with patient organisations

  • Patient organisations contribute lived experience, priorities, and feedback that shape NTOG’s research questions and guidelines.
  • Engagement is consultative or co-developmental and respects patient autonomy, diversity, and the independence of patient organisations.
  • NTOG supports meaningful and sustained patient involvement while maintaining clinical and scientific objectivity.
  • Patient organizations are warmly invited to join our symposia.

4. Collaboration with nurses and allied health professionals

  • Nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians, social workers, and other allied health professionals are essential to thoracic oncology care and to NTOG’s work.
  • Collaboration covers clinical pathway development, multidisciplinary team (MDT) practice, quality improvement, education, and patient communication.
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration respects professional roles, scope of practice, and expertise across the Nordic countries.
  • Allied health professionals are welcome to attend and participate in NTOG symposia.

5. Registries and data collaboration

  • NTOG promotes the use of high-quality clinical and quality-of-care registries to improve outcomes and inform research.
  • Registry data remain under national ownership and governance.
  • Cross-Nordic collaboration focuses on harmonisation of variables, definitions, and quality indicators while respecting national regulations.
  • All data use requires the relevant ethical approvals, legal basis, and compliance with data protection legislation (including GDPR).

6. Collaboration with hospitals, universities, other groups and disease areas

  • NTOG collaborates openly with professional societies, research networks, and other disease-area groups when this benefits patients.
  • Cross-disciplinary and cross-disease collaboration is encouraged, particularly where thoracic oncology overlaps with pulmonology, radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, palliative care, and primary care.
  • Collaborations are non-exclusive and grounded in academic respect and shared scientific standards.

7. Governance and review

  • These principles are reviewed at least annually by the NTOG Steering Committee.
  • Specific collaborations may be set out in separate written agreements covering scope, deliverables, intellectual property, and disclosure.
  • Concerns about a collaboration can be raised in confidence with the NTOG Chair or Secretary via the Steering Committee.