Moving forward in partnership: Developing a roadmap to promulgate and implement the European Cancer

Patient’s Bill of Rights Mark Lawler ECC Project Lead and Queen’s University Belfast

Francesco de Lorenzo President European Cancer Patient Coalition

The Greatest Wealth is Health

Publius Vergilius Maro(Better known as the

Roman poet Virgil)

Fast Forward ~2000 Years

Health care Inequalities

Escalating Healthcare Costs

The Economic Burden of Cancer

• Global economic burden of cancer, due to premature death and disability, was $1.16 Trillion in 2010 1 (over 2% of the worldwide GDP)

• Europe: €124 billion (2009) 2

– Direct Healthcare Costs (39%)– Loss of Productive Life Years (61%)

1 American Cancer Society (2010)2 Luengo Fernandez R et al Lancet Oncology (2013)

The cost/value rubicon

• How much is a cancer patient’s life worth to society?

• And what are we willing to pay?

Are we in Crisis?

• Urgent need to address the cost/value rubicon in cancer care and develop optimal but viable solutions for patients and society

Wealth is Health 2008

• Tallinn Charter • Pledge to invest in the improvement in

European Health Care Systems• Now a distant memory• BUT!•

The Greatest Wealth is Health • Justification should not be forgotten• Appropriate investment brings not only better health

but– Driver of economic growth– Increased innovation– Improved productivity– Reduced pressure on future health and social welfare systems

Rekindling the Wealth is Health Agenda

• Earlier access to high quality diagnosis underpins more successful therapeutic intervention

• Optimal cancer care contributes to the health and economic benefit of European citizens and societies

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate • Implement

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate • Implement

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate and Implement

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate and Implement

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate • Implement

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate • Implement

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Where do we go from here?

• Partnership • Publish and Launch Bill of Rights• Promulgate • Implement The Challenge!

European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Implementation

• Partnership for implementation• Continued engagement with PAOs/NGOs at

European/ National level• Continued engagement with Cancer

Leaders/Organisations at European/National levels• Influencing the decision makers!

A CALL TO ACTION

• A MANDATE FOR IMPROVED CANCER CARE FOR THE EUROPEAN CITIZEN

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• Make Cancer part of your Election Mandate

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• To make cancer a priority on the political agenda and to address the disparities that cancer patients and families face every single day of their lives throughout Europe (as agreed in the “European Parliament resolution on combating cancer in the enlarged European Union” (B6-0132/2008) of April 4th 2008).

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• Make Cancer part of your Election Mandate• Establish an EU Cancer Plan

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• To address the unacceptable disparities through the establishment of an EU Cancer Plan which guarantees an improved standard of care for European cancer patients according to Article 20 of the Council Conclusions on reducing the burden of cancer (Luxembourg, 10 June 2008): “which will address all aspects of comprehensive cancer control, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care through a multidisciplinary approach and consider the appropriate framework for effective cancer control policies and sharing best practices in cancer prevention and care”.

• (the European Guide for Quality National Cancer Control Programmes recently approved by EPAAC might facilitate the EU institutions actions in this field).

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• Uphold Right of European Citizen to improved care• Engage proactively with ECC• Adopt European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights• Strengthen a cross party MEPs against Cancer

(M.A.C) Alliance• Create a European Cancer Survivorship Plan

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• Listen and respond to the Voice of European Patients

• Champion Cancer in the European Parliament through the M.A.C Alliance

On World Cancer Day We call on MEPs to:

• Listen and respond to the Voice of European Patients

• Champion Cancer in the European Parliament through the M.A.C Alliance

On World Cancer Day We therefore call on:

• Prospective incoming members of the European Parliament to place cancer firmly and transparently within their election mandate and to join the MEPs against Cancer (M.A.C.) Alliance.

On World Cancer Day We call on European Commission to: • Place cancer high on the political agenda• Support research excellence and its

translation• Present an EU Action Plan on Cancer

The Greatest Wealth is Health

The Greatest Wealth is Health

• “The noblest motive is the public good.”

Remember

• In 2012, three European citizens died every minute from this deadly disease

• By 2035, there will be a cancer death in Europe every 10 seconds

• Cancer respects no borders• We need to act NOW!