Many forms of cancers are classified as rare diseases. These cancer affect fewer than 5 in every 10 000 people and each year more than 400 000 Europeans develop a type of rare cancer.
On this observation, on 6th November 2008, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) hosted the conference "Rare Tumours in Europe: Challenges and solutions". This event was introduced by Jos? Baselgo from ESMO, by Androulla Vassilliou, the EU Commissioner for Health and by Roselyne Bachelot, minister of health, from France. The aim of the conference was to identify current challenges faced by patient with rare cancer. Thus, the conference, calling for awareness and prioritization of rare cancer, allowed with it three workshops during the first day to discuss how to address the key challenges linked to the development of new drugs in rare cancers in Europe.
One month after the conference, ESMO suggested recommendations at the European Parliament and addressed important issues such as:
Barriers to patient access to care and information on rare cancer;
Education of healthcare professionals and the need for centers of expertise and European reference networks,
Regulatory and methodological barriers to rare cancer care.
The full text of the recommendations and further information on this consensus meeting are available on the ESMO website.
Article based on Public service review: Science and Technology issue 02, a PSCA International Ltd Publication 2009, P242-243.
