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European Cancer Organisation Speaks out on Fake News, Vaccine Hesitancy and Future EU Health Research

24 April 2018

Under the governance and oversight of the European Cancer Organisation's Oncopolicy Committee Executive, the European Cancer Organisation has recently provided formal views to the European Commission on the following subjects:

Fake news – a scourge on cancer care

The European Cancer Organisation's response to a European Commission consultation on tackling fake news:

  • highlighted, that in the cancer sector, ‘fake news’ spread via the internet has caused problems in prevention (misleading information about vaccines), diagnosis (unreliable information about symptoms), treatment (misleading information about treatment efficacy) and after care (misleading information about avoiding recurrence); and,
  • recommended greater pan-European and international efforts to increase public awareness that online information about cancer, and health more generally, should be sourced from reputable and expert websites, journals and publications.
  • suggested an EU, WHO, and/or multi-government led awareness campaign in this, which stakeholder organisations such as the European CanCer Organisation could participate in. World Cancer Day and European Antibiotic Awareness Day are successful template examples in this regard. Campaign messages should encourage individuals to reflect on the societal damage that can accrue from their personal involvement in spreading misinformation (e.g. the impact that can occur when public vaccine campaigns are compromised).

Further information about the consultation here.

Vaccine hesitancy – a good case for EU action

In preparation for announcing fresh proposals on the matter, the European Commission consulted stakeholders for views on the topic of vaccine hesitancy. The European Cancer Organisation responded in order to make recommendations about:

  • the key messages on vaccine importance that must be communicated to the public in a consistent and sustained manner;
  • means of better coordinating actions to combat vaccine hesitancy between European, national and local and actors, including the governmental and NGO sectors;
  • the benefits of further research and potential EU guidelines in respect to universal gender-neutral provision of the HPV vaccine.

Further information about the consultation here.

Future EU research programmes – keep cancer research at its heart

Ahead of a renewal of the EU’s Framework Programme for Research, the European Cancer Organisation responded to a public consultation by the European Commission on the topic in order to:

  • provide support for the fundamental place of health research, including cancer research, within the programme;
  • highlight chronic disease burden, health workforce shortage and access to innovation as among the over-arching policy challenges that should be part of strategic considerations for the research programme;
  • support the setting of clear goals for the EU Framework Programme for Research, including in respect to cancer research; and,
  • suggest the creation of fora, or other means, of improving linkage between the large range of research programmes (e.g. H2020, COST, Health Programme, IMI) to improve identification of synergy.

Further information about the consultation here.