Fighting cancer: stricter rules, equal access to treatment

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

• Persistent inequalities in screening and treatment
• Earmarked cancer-related funding of at least € 2.5bn needed
• Prevention should include awareness campaigns, better labelling, and higher excise duties on tobacco

Public health committee MEPs want dedicated funding, ambitious prevention policies, and equal access to screening, diagnosis and treatment to improve the EU’s fight against cancer.

On Monday MEPs on the Committee on Public Health (SANT) adopted a resolution assessing the EU action plan on beating cancer (27 votes to 8 with 5 abstentions). They want the next long-term EU budget to earmark at least € 10.05bn for health, with € 2.5bn dedicated to cancer-related action.

Prevention: tobacco, nicotine, alcohol and nutrition

They note that prevention is the most cost-efficient long-term cancer control strategy. Concerned about non-smokers taking up alternative smoking devices, MEPs want to see EU tobacco legislation urgently updated to cover products such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. The review should also include plain packaging requirements, restrictions on flavours that attract young consumers, mandatory reporting of ingredients, and a prohibition on the online sale of nicotine products to minors. At the same, they say an increase in minimum excise duties for all tobacco and nicotine products is needed.

MEPs also call for measures against harmful alcohol consumption, including mandatory clearly visible health information on all alcoholic beverages. A revised EU alcohol strategy is needed, they say, with a zero-alcohol consumption strategy for minors, awareness-raising initiatives and EU-level measures to reduce the exposure to alcohol marketing.

With nutrition also a key aspect of cancer prevention, MEPs say there is a need for a mandatory and harmonised EU front-of-pack nutritional label based on scientific evidence.

Screening, diagnosis and treatment

Concerned about persistent inequalities between EU countries and regions, SANT MEPs call for equal access to cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment across the EU. Breast, cervical and prostate cancer should remain priorities for screening. With AI-supported screening showing promising results, clinically validated systems should be integrated to national cancer screening programmes, they say.

Parliament also calls for robust invitation and recall systems and timely diagnostic follow-up after positive tests, and for making sure that 90% patients have access to National Comprehensive Cancer Centres by 2030. Equitable access to cancer medication could be boosted by voluntary joint procurement, MEPs suggest.

Quality of life

EU cancer action should also boost the quality of life of cancer survivors and patients. MEPs want to see measures boosting labour market integration, rehabilitation and psychosocial support, and a full implementation of “Right to Be Forgotten” rules. Paediatric cancer patients should have better access to cross-border care, innovative treatments and clinical trials, say MEPs. Patient representatives should, they argue, be systematically included in the design and implementation of EU cancer policies.

Comment

Rapporteur Vlad Voiculescu (Renew, Romania) said: “Cancer kills 1.3 million Europeans every year. 40% of these deaths are preventable. With this report, we are demanding stronger prevention, solid funding, accountability for everyone, and patient centered monitoring. Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan could save up to half a million lives each year. We owe it to every EU citizen to deliver, in every member state.”

Background

Cancer is currently the second-most common cause of death in the EU. Approximately one in two EU citizens is expected to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime.