European Cancer Organisation Response to European Commission Cross-border Health Threats Consultation
In January 2021, the European Cancer Organisation responded to a European Commission consultation on Serious Cross Border Health Threats. A short summary of our response follows:
We cannot afford not to learn the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its impact has been disastrous across so many areas, including devastating impacts for cancer care in all countries.
The European Cancer Organisation therefore supports the actions being taken by the European Commission to analyse structural shortcomings in how the EU conducts health cooperation and to propose remedying actions.
In this respect, the range of real and immediate cross border health threats to which the EU will be responsive should be clarified. Such cross border health threats challenging all health systems and therapeutic areas, include, for example, antimicrobial resistance, medicines shortages, health workforce shortages and disinformation campaigns that compromise healthcare.
The role of stakeholder organisations, such as healthcare professional associations and patient societies, should be recognised in respect to aiding strong contingency planning for healthcare emergencies.
EU Treaty Change to improve the responsiveness and capabilities of the EU to assist Member States in responding to serious cross border health threats should now be considered.
In respect to elements of EU response to health threats, such as workforce shortage, and the specific needs that have been raised for cancer services during COVID-19, we refer the Commission and others to recent reports of the European Cancer Organisation:
Read the full consultation response here.
View the original consultation here.
