Europe's Beating Cancer Plan

Cancer Plan Letter Border Test1

Outlining our support for Europe's Beating Cancer Plan:

The launch of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan on Wednesday, 3rd of February 2021, marked a momentous day of hope for the cancer community. For many years, health, and specifically cancer, took a low position on the EU Commission’s agenda. Now, with a shift in priority orchestrated by the current Commission, cancer is being given the attention it deserves. The Beating Cancer Plan is set to transform cancer prevention, detection, treatment and management of cancer in the EU, as well as reduce health inequalities between and within Member States at a pan-tumour level.

In response to the Plan, the EHNS published a letter via the Make Sense campaign to key members of the European Commission to outline our support. Overall the content of the Plan is encouraging, with a clear action-orientated and time-focused approach that offers a comprehensive roadmap to dealing with the issues that cancer poses across Europe, including action areas with particular relevance and benefit to head and neck cancer awareness, diagnosis, treatment and care. However, the letter also highlights specific, crucial areas where the consideration of additional measures is recommended to address deficits in the Plan with regard to head and neck cancer. Within the letter, we call upon the European Commission to advocate for the incorporation of the following summarised action point areas:

  • The inclusion of head and neck cancer in additional Europe-wide screening programmes
  • Support public awareness campaigns, such as the Make Sense campaign’s annual awareness week
  • Firmer targets for achieving HPV vaccination of boys at a Member State level and clearly communicate the link between HPV and head and neck cancer
  • Promote uniform and quality care via the development of European survivorship guidelines

Download and read the full Letter of Support from the EHNS and Make Sense campaign to the European Commission regarding their Beating Cancer Plan here:

Letter Of Response To Europe's Beating Cancer Plan