Action against cancer
Androulla Vassiliou has been nominated as a EU commissioner for health. During her European Mission she outlines European Action against cancer. Cancer is one of the biggest diseases in Europe which kill around 1/3 of the European population.
Community efforts on the basis of tackling major health determinants aim to encourage the development of information exchange to help develop more effective interventions, and support member states in their efforts.
Six years ago, the health minister of the European Union adopted a council recommendation on cancer screening. The first report on the implementation of the recommendation has been published 3 month ago to highlight the progress made. The report encourages European countries to renew their efforts to fulfill the targets laid down in the recommendation because fewer than half of the minimum recommended numbers of screening are taking place in the European Union for citizens of the appropriate age each year.
During the 6th Framework Programme focused on prevention, diagnostics and treatment to transfer scientific advances into day to day healthcare. The 7th Framework Programme will build on the successes of the previous programme and will pursue the translation of basic discoveries into clinical applications, so that cancer research which is a key aspect of the programme.
The community regarding cancer research will bring together a wide range of different stakeholders to provide a framework for supporting European states.
Article based on Public service review: Science and Technology issue 02, a PSCA International Ltd Publication 2009, P234-235.