In 2022, FEAM led the development of the SAPEA report, “Improving Cancer Screening in the European Union“, published on 2 March 2022. The document gathered scientific evidence in this field which enabled the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to make recommendations to the European Commission.
Late in the year, as part of the European plan to fight cancer, the European Commission and the European Council have proposed new guidelines on cancer screening, with the aim to help EU countries ensure that 90% of the EU population who qualify for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings are offered screening by 2025.
According to the report EU Country Cancer Profiles 2023 and the data in the European Cancer Inequalities Registry, significant inequalities still exist among the Member States with respect to cancer screening programmes. The updated screening recommendations, as well as the financial resources provided by the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, are a major opportunity for the Member States to improve their secondary prevention. However, in order to achieve that, it is important to exchange knowledge, experiences and best practice examples.
Agenda:
16:00 – 16:05 Welcome remarks
Romana Jerkovic, Member of the European Parliament
16:05 – 16:10 Keynote speech
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety (tbc)
16:10 – 16:55 Panel 1: Setting the scene
- Sandra Galina, Director-General of DG Health and Food Safety
- Professor George Griffin (FEAM Board Member and Coordinator of the FEAM-led SAPEA project on Cancer Screening, Emeritus Professor of Infectious Diseases and Medicine at St George’s University of London, UK)
- Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
- Francesco de Lorenzo, President of the European Cancer Patient Coalition
16:55 – 17:10 Coffee break
17:10 – 17:55 Panel 2: Sharing best practices
- Cervical cancer screening – Slovenia, Milan Brglez, Member of the European Parliament
- Cervical cancer screening – Finland (tbc)
- Colorectal cancer screening – Denmark, Christel Schaldemose, Member of the European Parliament
- Lung cancer screening – Croatia, Miroslav Samaržija, KBC Zagreb, Klinika za plućne bolesti
17:55 – 18:00 Closing remarks
Romana Jerkovic, Member of the European Parliament
