We find ourselves in an interesting conundrum regarding health policy and EU legal powers.

On the one hand, European Institutions have only a supporting role in public health. Hence, many Recommendations, Communications and other ‘soft tools’ rely on EU Member countries to implement their content. Article 168 of the Treaty of Functioning of the European Union states: “A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities. Union action, which shall complement national policies, shall be directed towards improving public health, preventing physical and mental illness and diseases, and obviating sources of danger to physical and mental health.”

But on the other hand, policies around: (i) medicines (for instance: Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, Regulation (EC) No 141/2000, Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006, Regulation (EC) No 1394/2007 etc.) (ii) cross-border healthcare (Directive 2011/24/EU), (iii) health technology assessment (Regulation (EU) 2021/2282), (iv) clinical trials (Regulation (EU) No 536/2014) to name just a few have direct impact on cancer patients lives.

At DiCE, we aim to cover both European and national aspects. That is why this year, we will be supporting DiCE Member Organisations in the organisation of national policy events.

Our primary goal will be to raise awareness of the salience of digestive cancers at the national level and leverage the momentum of the European Beating Cancer Plan.

In the first half of the year, DiCE Members in Poland and Croatia will raise alarm bells about the urgent need for more support and resources for digestive cancer patients in their countries. They will be followed by a couple of other countries, such as Italy and potentially Portugal, in the second half of the year. If you would like to know more about the events or would like to organise policy events in your country, please get in touch with us.

Author:
Aleksandra Kaczmarek