EP Special Committee on Beating Cancer holds Constitutive Meeting
The new Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA) has kicked off its work in the European Parliament with a constitutive meeting on Monday, 12 October.
BECA was approved by the European Parliament plenary in June 2020, to run for a 12-month term with possibility of extension. Specifically tasked with evaluating opportunities for concrete EU action, identifying legislation and other measures that can help prevent and fight cancer, BECA is chaired by MEP Bartosz ARŁUKOWICZ (EPP, PL) and has four Vice Chairs from the major political groups of EPP, S&D, Renew Europe and ECR.
The main responsibilities of the special committee include looking at actions to strengthen the approach at every key stage of the disease, evaluating best ways of supporting research and ensuring a close link with the research mission on cancer in the future Horizon Europe programme, listening to the current evidence and data available and identifying policies and priorities, as well as evaluating the possibilities where the EU can take concrete steps to fight cancer. Full details of BECA objectives are available here.
The second meeting of BECA took place on 27 October and included an Exchange of Views with Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.
Towards a European Cancer Dashboard
On September 29, at the virtual European Health Forum Gastein event, three European level cancer policy stakeholder organisations, expressed their shared commitment to developing and promoting the concept of a European Cancer Dashboard to support the success of the forthcoming Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
The Dashboard is suggested as a vital monitoring and implementation tool to help underpin the Plan, and is strongly supported by the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO), the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations Oncology Platform (EFPIA).
Starting with the principle that “what gets measured gets done”, the Dashboard would create a powerful tool that monitors a set of key indicators at the European level and would help to chart successes related to the goals of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. As such, the three organisations call for the Dashboard, together with the way to build it, to be included in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
Read more here.
Are We Spending Smart in Healthcare?
The new white paper ‘Strengthening Health Systems Through Smart Spending’ of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) lays out policy recommendations for national and European policymakers, to inform the discussions around how smart spending can improve health systems’ resilience, responsiveness and readiness.
A number of case studies in the publication show how smart spending and health system planning can improve long-term outcomes while keeping the systems sustainable and flexible in order to respond to future challenges. All.Can Efficiency Hub is highlighted as a valuable reference for efficiency-related examples in cancer care that should be replicated in other therapeutic areas.
The white paper was launched on 15 October at the EFPIA webinar, “Are we spending smart in healthcare?”, featuring All.Can member Digestive Cancers Europe CEO Stefan Gijssels among speakers. You can watch the recording of the discussion here.
City Cancer Challenge
City Cancer Challenge has opened a call for applications for new cities to join its network and tackle the global cancer burden.
City Cancer Challenge Foundation (C/Can) supports cities around the world as they work to improve access to equitable, quality cancer care. Launched by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) at the 2017 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, C/Can was established as a standalone Swiss foundation in January 2019.
Interested cities of over 1 million inhabitants are asked to submit their expression of interest by filling out a form before the deadline of December 1st, 2020. Nine successful candidates will join the nine cities in which C/Can is currently identifying gaps and developing sustainable, community-led cancer care solutions to ensure no one is left behind in accessing the diagnosis, treatment and care they need. Find out more about C/Can here.