Declaration of interests Grants or contracts from any entity were received by EF (from Astellas, Pfizer, BicycleTx Ltd, Bristol Myers Squibb [BMS], and Erasca), ML (from Biontech and institutional support for the pro-MERIT vaccine trial), DP (from BMS, MSD, and GlaxoSmithKline [GSK]), and ES (from Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Novartis, BeiGene, and Roche). PC received institutional grants from Oxford Vaccmedix, BioNTech, and Moderna. Consulting fees were received by EF (from a broad portfolio of companies, including AstraZeneca, GSK, Amgen, and others), VK (from Bristol Myers Squibb and Servier Laboratories), DP (from Mina Therapeutics, EISAI, Roche, Ipsen, AstraZeneca, and others), ML (for multiple advisory roles), and ES (from AstraZeneca, Astellas, BeiGene, BMS, EsoBiotec, Gilead, Novartis, Pfizer, and others). Honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing, or educational events were paid to EF, VK, DP, TP (from a wide range of industry sponsors including AstraZeneca, Exelixis, BMS, MSD, Pfizer, and others), and ES (from Amgen, AstraZeneca, BMS, MSD, and others). PC received a speaker honorarium from AstraZeneca. MP reported speaker fees from Limbic Oncology, and FT from Merck Sharp & Dohme. Payment for expert testimony was declared by MP (from Sun Pharma) and TP (from AstraZeneca, Roche, BMS, MSD, and others). Support for attending meetings and/or travel was received by EF (from Repare Therapeutics, CARIS Life Sciences, Seagen, Sapience, and others), VK (from Takeda and MSD), NL (from Merck Serono, Pharma&, and Novartis), MP (from Pierre Fabre and Genesis Care), and TP (from Roche, MSD, AstraZeneca, Gilead, and others). PC reported meeting support from ESMO, and FT from MSD. Participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board was reported by EF (with Astellas, Pfizer, BMS, BicycleTx Ltd, and Erasca), CO (with Transgene, Grey Wolf, Biontech, Immutep, and others), DP (with EISAI, Roche, Avamune, and others), FT (with MSD, Scancell, and IO Biotech), and SNS (with MSD, Roche, Exscientia, EISAI, Duke Street Bio, and others). Leadership or fiduciary roles in other boards, societies, committees, or advocacy groups were held by EF (as GITCG secretary for EORTC and committee member for ASCO), MP (as chair of Melanoma Focus and contributor to NICE working groups), SNS (as board member of the Cancer Drug Development Forum), ES (as chair of the EORTC GI Trials Group and ESMO Guidelines Committee), and PC (as a member of the MRCP DPFS and ESMO Congress scientific committees). Receipt of equipment, materials, drugs, medical writing, gifts, or other services was disclosed by FT, who reported receipt of drugs at her institution from Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Scancell, and Genentech. Other financial or non-financial interests were reported by EF (institutional relationships with over 50 pharmaceutical companies), MP (a paid role with Genesis Care SACT Clinical Support Group), and ES (multiple undeclared institutional interactions with industry). The other authors declare no competing interests.