ESMO provided feedback to the public consultation on the European Union’s (EU) EU4Health Work Programme for 2025, highlighting the importance of the programme for supporting EU action on cancer.
With new cancer cases in Europe set to increase from over 4.4 million in 2022 to 5.33 million in 2040 (IARC Cancer Tomorrow), ESMO highlighted that EU4Health can support those actions that:
- Address misinformation on vaccines against cancer-causing viruses and ensure that at least 90% of the EU target population of both girls and boys becomes vaccinated against Human Papillomaviruses (HPV).
- Inform consumers about the cancer risks posed by alcohol consumption and unhealthy dietary patterns - complemented by an urgently needed legislative proposal for labelling of alcoholic beverages at EU level - and encourage active lifestyles whilst reducing sedentary life.
- Ensure continuity of healthcare services at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels for cancer and other diseases and conditions during health emergencies.
- Provide healthcare professionals - including medical oncologists - with the digital skills, competences, infrastructures and tools required to work well under the European Health Data Space.
- Support the implementation of comprehensive tobacco control measures by a timely revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive, Tobacco Tax Directive and Tobacco Advertising Directive.
- Establish sustainable and resilient healthcare systems, founded on universal health coverage.
- Limit exposure of EU citizens to ambient air pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
EU4Health is a health programme of the EU which finances actions that aim to improve human health and address health-related societal challenges. Calls for proposals are set out in the annual EU4health Work -Programmes that enable stakeholders to apply for funding for actions that contribute to the objectives of the programme, including actions on cancer-related topics. The programme will run from 2021-2027 with a budget of €5.3 billion, and it serves as a key policy instrument to support the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
EU4Health supports actions under four strands - (1) crisis preparedness, (2) health promotion & disease prevention, (3) health systems & healthcare workforce, and (4) digital - with cancer being a cross-cutting focus of the programme.