Only a united EU can tackle cancer
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
A call by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) for EU member states to focus more on prevention in the fight against cancer is a laudable, if predictable, step in the right direction. With more than 3 million new cases each year and 1.7 million deaths in the EU, the struggle to contain the disease must be intensified. However, despite much goodwill and concerted action, the battle against cancer in the EU is hampered by two main elements: the legislative process and the fact that the provision of healthcare remains within the competence of the individual member states.