Peter Agius calls for urgent inclusion of cancer medicines in formulary, seeks bolder European effort to beat rare cancers in Malta

A high-level debate marking World Cancer Day in the European Parliament put a spotlight on Malta’s health services standing out for one of the best survival rates for most frequent cancer types including breast and prostate, while underlining significant disadvantages for Maltese patients when it comes to medicine access.

Data presented by the European Cancer Organisation shows that patients in Malta have only 16% of cancer medicines reimbursed by national health, compared to 100% Estonia and Germany.

Reacting to the latest data, MEP Peter Agius said that ‘All too often, Maltese patients need to source private funding or recur to Community Chest fund under immense time pressures and stress. It's high time we end this and include cancer medicines in the Government formulary list.’ 

In his intervention in the debate held by the European Parliament Health Committee, MEP Agius also highlighted how Malta has some of the best care levels for the frequently occurring cancer types but then suffers from lower survival rates for rarer cancers.

Cancer survival for some rarer gynaecological cancers is for instance estimated to vary by over 20% difference when comparing Malta and other smaller Member States with larger countries like Germany and France.

‘This is exactly where Europe needs to make the difference. We must leverage European collaboration to advance cancer diagnosis and care in smaller Member States with fewer facilities,’ Agius said. Solutions suggested by MEP Agius included bolstering further the European Reference Networks for doctors and an increased and systematic use of the Cross Border Health Directive in Malta for rarer cancer types.

During the Committee, several other MEPs, including MEP Stine Bosse, echoed Agius’ appeal which stresses the urgent need for stronger European benchmarking and an expansion of cross-border clinical trials to ensure patients in smaller Member States are not left behind. MEP Nikos Papandreou also doubled on Agius’ call, underlining that European Reference Networks must be strengthened so that rare cancer patients can access specialised expertise regardless of where they live.

Replying to Peter Agius’ call, Elizabetta Zanon of the European Cancer Organisation emphasised the remaining disparities across Europe in cancer care, warning that access to care still depends too heavily on geography and calling for a move towards a more homogeneous provision of cancer services across the Union.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola addressed the World Cancer Day discussion highlighting the current European 'Beating Cancer Plan' while emphasising the need for continued implementation.