ESMO welcomes the publication of the European Commission’s Work Programme on 11 February which sets out the EU legislative initiatives that the Commission will propose in 2025. The publication marks the first Work Programme adopted under the new mandate of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Amongst the planned initiatives, the Society especially welcomes the scheduled completion of the evaluation of EU rules on medical devices and in vitro diagnostics planned for the 4th quarter of 2025. ESMO has been advocating for urgent reforms to the EU’s In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR), which has created unintended barriers to clinical cancer research and patient access to innovative cancer diagnostics and treatments. The evaluation may help bring about the changes required to enhance patient access to clinical trials using in vitro diagnostics.
ESMO however notes and regrets the omission of key legislative proposals aimed at addressing the cancer risks posed by the use of tobacco products, most notably the planned review and update of the Tobacco Products Directive and the Tobacco Taxation Directive. The Society calls on the European Commission to expedite these proposals which are key to meeting the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
“With evidence emerging that new products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products pose serious health risks, and of the rapid increase of vaping amongst adults who had previously never smoked, the EU must react to these societal changes by expediting its delayed revision of the EU’s tobacco legislation to ensure the achievement of the objective of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to create a 'Tobacco- Free Generation' by 2040, where less than 5% of the population uses tobacco” commented Prof. Jean-Yves Blay, ESMO Director of Public Policy.
