04. 02. 2020
Tackling cancer is one of the von der Leyen Commission’s main priorities in the area of health, since data shows that the number of cancer cases in the EU will double by 2035.
The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, observed World Cancer Day on 4 February 2020 with the event “Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan – Let’s strive for More” in the European Parliament in Brussels. The event will mark the launch of discussions on Europe’s Cancer Plan.
The upcoming Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is set to cover all areas dealing with cancer: cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. The new Action Plan will draw from the positive examples from Member States, recognising and proposing established good practices all across Europe.
The deliverables of the three Joint Actions Against Cancer, co-financed by the Health Programme of the European Commission, are instrumental in providing important inputs for the new Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
Over the past 10 years, European countries have already continuously joined efforts to reduce the cancer burden in the EU. Starting in 2010, key European stakeholders in the cancer control field formed the European Partnership for Action Against Cancer (EPAAC) Joint Action. Activities in the field of cancer continued in the next cancer Joint Action, CANCON, which resulted in the Guide on Quality Improvement in Comprehensive Cancer Control.
The ongoing Joint Action against cancer – Innovative Partnership for Action Against Cancer (iPAAC) brings together 44 partners from 24 countries. In addition to dealing with implementation of the EPAAC and CANCON recommendations on National Cancer Control Programmes, screening, cancer care, cancer data and cancer control networks, iPAAC is tackling new areas of cancer control, such as genomics and innovative treatments.
iPAAC is proud to engage key stakeholders at local, regional and national levels by organising local stakeholder forums, where participants have the opportunity to provide feedback on cancer control issues and thus engage with the wider EU cancer policy community.
Over the past decade, our consortium of European stakeholders has proven that more can be achieved together and we look forward to working hand in the hand with the European Commission on beating cancer in Europe.
For more information: ipaac@nijz.si, iPAAC Coordination