Fighting cancer: MEPs call for stronger preventive measures

Persistent inequalities in screening and treatment

Earmarked cancer-related funding of at least €2.5bn needed

Prevention should include awareness campaigns, better labelling, and higher excise duties on tobacco

To improve the EU’s fight against cancer, Parliament wants dedicated funding, ambitious prevention policies, and equal access to screening, diagnosis and treatment.

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution assessing the EU’s action plan on beating cancer (447 votes to 66 with 91 abstentions). MEPs want the next long-term EU budget to earmark at least €10.05bn for health, with €2.5bn dedicated to cancer-related action.

Prevention: tobacco, nicotine, alcohol and nutrition

They note that prevention is the most cost-efficient long-term cancer control strategy. Concerned about the high prevalence of smoking in Europe and about non-smokers taking up alternative smoking devices, MEPs want to see EU tobacco legislation urgently updated to cover products such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. The review could also include plain packaging requirements, restrictions on flavours that attract young consumers, the mandatory reporting of ingredients, and a prohibition on the online sale of nicotine products to minors. At the same, they say an increase in minimum excise duties for all tobacco and nicotine products is needed.

MEPs also say measures against harmful alcohol consumption are needed, including mandatory and clearly visible health information on all alcoholic beverages. A revised EU alcohol strategy should include awareness-raising initiatives aimed towards minors and EU-level measures to reduce their exposure to alcohol marketing. MEPs call for regulation to limit advertising and the sponsorship of alcoholic beverages in contexts where it could reach minors.

They argue for nutrition to be recognised as a key aspect of cancer prevention and for a mandatory and harmonised EU front-of-pack nutritional label based on scientific evidence. The Commission should also develop a clear approach to ultra-processed foods, including a science-based definition.

Screening, diagnosis and treatment

Concerned about persistent inequalities between EU countries and regions, MEPs call for equal access to cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment across the EU. Breast, cervical and prostate cancer should remain priorities for screening. With AI-supported screening showing promising results, they say clinically validated systems should be integrated to national cancer screening programmes. Equitable access to cancer medication could be boosted by voluntary joint procurement, MEPs suggest.

Quality of life

To boost the quality of life of cancer survivors and patients, MEPs want to see measures boosting labour market integration, rehabilitation and psychosocial support, and a full implementation of “Right to Be Forgotten” rules. Paediatric cancer patients should have better access to cross-border care, innovative treatments and clinical trials, MEPs say.

Comment

Rapporteur Vlad Voiculescu (Renew, Romania) said: “With Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU made a promise to its citizens. Today, we hold that promise to account. We can spend billions treating cancers that could have been prevented, or we can find the moral courage to prevent them. Cancer does not wait.”

Background

Cancer is currently the second-most common cause of death in the EU. Approximately one in two EU citizens is expected to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime.