Speaking on Monday 3 May at a conference convened by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU, European Commissioners for Health and Research Stella Kyriakides and Mariya Gabriel reiterated that the success of the new European plan to fight cancer (see EUROPE 12650/1) would depend largely on efforts in the research and innovation (R&I) sectors.
The Health Commissioner described R&I as a “starting point” for progress in both disease prevention and improving the quality of life of cancer patients and “survivors”.
Mses Kyriakides and Gabriel also spoke about the implementation of a cancer “mission” under the new EU R&I framework programme, Horizon Europe.
The goal of this mission, Ms Gabriel said, will be to save more than 3 million lives by 2030, enabling patients to live better and longer.
“This partnership [between the cancer action plan and Horizon Europe] is essential and it will ensure coherence between research goals and realistic policy objectives”, commented Ms Kyriakides.
Both said that the new framework programme would give more support to research projects dedicated to the fight against cancer, some of which have been delayed by the health crisis.
Draft joint declaration
Many speakers stressed the importance of making the fight against cancer a common responsibility in the EU.
The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU took the opportunity of this conference to present a declaration in this respect, called the “Porto Declaration on Cancer Research”. All 27 Member States were invited to support it.
The text “details the steps needed to put in place the infrastructure required to intensify research in Europe” on all aspects of the disease, said Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido.
The declaration also deals with the deployment of comprehensive cancer centres (CCCs), which provide care, research and teaching.
“10 Member States still do not have a well-integrated network of CCCs”, Portuguese Science and Technology Minister Manuel Heitor stressed, saying that strengthening these networks, at national and regional level, “should be the priority for the coming years”.
Finally, on the same day, Commissioner Kyriakides participated in the first meeting of the cancer sub-group of the European Commission’s Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention & Management of Non-Communicable Diseases.
Europe accounts for a quarter of the world’s cancer cases, although it represents only 10% of the world’s population. In 2020 alone, 2.7 million people were diagnosed with cancer in the EU and 1.3 million people died from it, stakeholders said on Monday. Cancer remains the second most common cause of death in the EU, after cardiovascular disease.
To consult the Porto declaration: https://bit.ly/2QI2o33 (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)