Cancer care is a critical priority for COCIR and its Members.
In this section we would like to summarize all the initiatives taken by COCIR and its Members to show the value of the medical technology industries in cancer prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and after care.
Hereafter are listed all the activities and initiatives that have been taken by COCIR and will continue throughout the next months and years.

COCIR statement

on European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2022 on strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer – towards a comprehensive and coordinated strategy. Read more

COCIR contribution

to the EC Call for evidence regarding the update and possible extension of the 2003 Council Recommendation on cancer screening. Read more

COCIR statement

on World Cancer Day 2022. Read more

COCIR welcomes the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan

On 4 February 2021, COCIR welcomed [here] Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, supporting the European Commission’s ambition to deploy all available EU resources -political, legislative and financial- in the fight against cancer. The Plan aims to support the Member States in their efforts to address cancer and provide the EU citizens with universal and equal access to cancer prevention and care of high quality. Presented on 3 February 2021, the European Commission’s Plan hinges on ten flagship initiatives and 32 supporting actions in four action areas, e.g. prevention, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life, to be rolled out over the coming years.

In parallel, the European Parliament's Special Committee on Cancer (BECA) has been working on an own-initiative report. This report will make the Parliament's contribution to the implementation of Europe's Beating Cancer plan. COCIR has been following the work of BECA providing regular updates to the COCIR members. As a last point, COCIR has contributed to the BECA survey on the Impact COVID19-pandemic on cancer care and research [input submitted on 24 February 2021].

COCIR Position Paper on cancer

As part of the open session of our COCIR General Assembly, on 2 July 2020, we launched our COCIR Position Paper on Cancer entitled: ‘Enhancing Value in Cancer Prevention and Care: Industry Perspectives and Recommendations’. This Paper reflects the structure of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and puts forward individual recommendations for each phase of the cancer continuum.

COCIR dedicated events on cancer

The COVID-19 pandemic initiated the trend of virtual events, which COCIR has been following for over a year now. Privileging partnerships with other stakeholders, we are organising our event agendas in a way that all critical stakeholders are included in the exchange views on cancer.

• On 9 March 2023, COCIR held the virtual event Towards eradicating cervical cancer
• On 2 June 2021: COCIR virtual event in partnership with European Cancer Leagues: Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan: Ways to ensure optimal implementation in the EU Member States
• On 18 March 2021, COCIR held the virtual event Working together against cervical cancer
• On  4 November 2020: COCIR in Partnership with ESR and LuCE held the virtual event: How can the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan drive implementation of Lung Cancer Screening Programmes Across Europe?
• On 21 October 2020: COCIR held a virtual event in partnership with Anticancer Fund entitled: Can we improve the future of Breast Cancer Care in the EU?
• On 2 July 2020: The open session of the COCIR General Assembly was dedicated to cancer, bearing the title: Beating Cancer Together. This virtual event was organized in partnership with European Cancer Leagues. Moreover, COCIR used this opportunity to launch a COCIR Position Paper [see above].

COCIR contribution to cancer related public consultations

2022

COCIR Contribution to the EC Call for evidence regarding the update and possible extension of the 2003 Council Recommendation on cancer screening. Read more

2021

On 2 February 2021, COCIR provided feedback to three European Commission public consultations regarding the European Health Union, e.g.
•    COCIR Contribution to the Public Consultation on serious cross-border threats
•    COCIR Contribution to the Public Consultation on the ECDC mandate
•    COCIR Contribution to the Public Consultation on the EMA mandate

On 11 February 2021, COCIR contributed to another cancer related public consultation on the Evaluation of the Directive regarding patients’ rights in cross-border care.

2020

In 2020, COCIR has been an active partner in the dialogue with the EU policy makers on cancer care providing input to the following European Commission’s public consultations:
•     stakeholder consultation on the Roadmap of the Europe’ Beating Cancer Plan [2 March 2020],
•     public consultation of the Europe’ Beating Cancer Plan [20 May 2020],
•     interview organized by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan [8 Sep 2020]
 

COCIR public statement on the importance of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic

To read more, click HERE

COCIR other public communication on Cancer

•    On 11 June 2020, the COCIR blog post: Proud supporters of the European Week Against Cancer, illustrated our clear support to this initiative and presented the value of the COCIR member industries in the provision of quality and state-of-the art, innovative medical technology in cancer care.
•    On 4 February 2020, COCIR celebrated the 20th anniversary of World Cancer Day with a blog post by its Secretary General, Nicole Denjoy, who also highlighted the COCIR participation in the Union for International Cancer Control's (UICC) awareness campaign “I Am and I Will”.

•    COCIR mandated Science Business to issue a study on Breast Cancer. This study was released in June 2019 and an associated conference organised by Science Business included a dedicated session in its programme in September 2019