The European Parliament has announced the establishment of a Special Committee on Cancer: “If we combine our research, our resources and our experience, the European Union can beat cancer. Experts are telling us it is possible” said Manfred Weber, Chairman of the European People’s Party political group which pushed for the committee, in the context of the campaign “EU can beat cancer“. “Each year cancer kills more than 9 million people. There is no family in Europe that is not affected by this disease. Together we will make the difference and beat cancer” he added.
This is one more sign of the determination of EU institutions to tackle cancer, after the decision by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to task health commissioner Stella Kyriakides with developing a European Cancer Plan. The EU’s 2021-27 R&D programme will also have a cancer focus.
“Together we can create a European plan for fighting cancer, a European strategy for oncological prevention and a European strategy for early detection. With this Special Committee, we want to give a new impetus to oncological research and I am proud to be among its initiators.” commented Ewa Kopacz, Vice-President of the European Parliament.
