September 2020
On 23 September 2020, the European Cancer Organisation released a new flagship initiative aimed at empowering European citizens and cancer patients with ten key overarching rights. These rights set out, in plain language, what cancer patients should expect from their healthcare systems in respect of care and support. The European Society of Radiology (ESR) has endorsed the new initiative and unwaveringly commits itself to putting the patient at the centre of clinical practice.
Being a co-production between patients and cancer professionals, the European Code of Cancer Practice should empower patients to receive the best possible care, treatment, and support throughout their cancer journey. The launch event, which has seen the participation of ESR delegates, was attended by European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides, who hailed the initiative as a successful partnership between patients and healthcare professionals and emphasised its complementarity to the forthcoming Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
Prof. Boris Brkljacic, Chairman of the ESR Board of Directors, reiterated the society’s full support to this incredibly important initiative, stating that “The European Code of Cancer Practice will finally strengthen the position of patients in seeking out the best possible cancer care in Europe. It is another step towards patient-centredness in healthcare, something the ESR is implementing unconditionally in all its activities, as demonstrated by the successful partnership with patients in the ESR Patient Advisory Group (ESR-PAG).”
The ESR believes that the European Code of Cancer Practice adds another layer to a European framework for action against cancer. Together with the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and increased EU collaboration and funding in the sphere of health, the European Code of Cancer Practice could empower cancer patients to beat the disease while offering a healthier and more prosperous life to citizens in every corner of Europe.
The European Code of Cancer Practice has been translated into several EU languages, allowing European citizens to turn into practice the rights enshrined in the code.
The European Code of Cancer Practice can be accessed here.
For more information on the ESR-PAG, please click here.
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