Strasbourg, 10/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - By adopting the report of German Social Democrat, Karin Jöns, the European Parliament is seeking to raise awareness and mobilise Member States for fighting more effectively against breast cancer. It is calling on Member States to support the objective of creating by 2008, the conditions necessary for reducing the mortality rate linked to breast cancer by 25% , as well as reducing the disparities in the rate of survival in the different Member States to 5%.
Ms Jöns presented her report in the presence of 15 cancer association presidents and pointed out that in the EU breast cancer is diagnosed every two and a half minutes, that 250,000 women have this disease and that 55,000 women could be saved every year if the national authorities made an effort to guarantee quality early screening.
Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou indicated that the Commission entirely supports the objectives and the strategy recommended in the Jöns report. She confirmed that the Commission would also be opening a health information site on the internet for patients, associations and health professionals.