Pool resources, efforts, data and money to beat cancer

The EPP Group wants to make the fight against cancer one of the key priorities of this mandate.

"Together we can beat cancer. We need to pool resources, efforts, data and money to step up prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The only reason that we are not more effective at beating cancer today is that we don’t work together enough here in Europe. This has to change", said EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber, who welcomes the Cancer Plan which European Commissioner Stella Kyriakides will present this afternoon in the European Parliament on World Cancer Day.

"Every year, 1.3 million people die of cancer and 3.5 million new cases are diagnosed in the European Union. For me, this is unacceptable. We have to make sure that this Cancer Plan will make a difference to people’s lives", Weber said. "We mustn't make false promises, but we should and can do more for the millions of people that are diagnosed with cancer. I am convinced that with the dedicated involvement of medical experts, researchers, patients and cancer survivors, we can save lives", he concluded.

The EPP Group has launched a campaign - #EUCanBeatCancer - in order to mobilise political support for the plan to step up the EU's efforts in the fight against cancer. For more information, visit www.eucanbeatcancer.eu.