Conservatives call for enhanced cancer screening programmes
Posted, April 09, 2008 @ 00:00
Conservative MEP urges adoption of European Parliament Resolution on Combating Cancer
Brussels, 9th April 2008 -- Tomorrow (Thursday), a vote will be held in the European Parliament calling on the Commission to adopt a European cancer control strategy.
The vote follows the launch today of the 'Sunsmart' campaign in the UK, a nationwide skin cancer awareness campaign led by Cancer Research UK and supported by John Bowis MEP, Conservative spokesman on health in the European Parliament.
Cancer currently claims the lives of 1 million people in the EU every year. The European Parliament's Resolution on Combating Cancer outlines how EU legislation can help prevent this. John Bowis MEP has called for tougher action at both national and EU level to improve national cancer screening programmes. Such programmes are proven to dramatically cut the amount of people who die from cancer related diseases.
Speaking ahead of the plenary vote on the Combating Cancer Resolution, John Bowis MEP said:
"Cancer is a very complex set of diseases and a major burden for patients, families and the National Health Service as a whole. It accounts for over 1 million deaths in the EU each year, but with tougher action at both national and EU level we can reverse this trend. I fully support Cancer Research UK's 'Sunsmart' campaign and urge all MEPs to support the Combating Cancer Resolution. We must increase the amount of early cancer screening undertaken across the EU as this significantly improves the chances of saving lives."
For more information on the 'Sunsmart' campaign visit:
www.info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/sunsmart/
Combating Cancer Resolution:
Debate: Wednesday 9th April
Vote: Thursday 10th April