Tackling inequalities: how can Europe beat cancer everywhere?

The risk of developing and surviving cancer are shaped by where you live, according to a new report on the situation in Europe.

The report, written by The Swedish Institute for Health Economics (IHE) and commissioned by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Association (EFPIA) Oncology Platform, finds deep inequalities in access to prevention and screening, biomarker testing and innovative treatments, and in quality of life for cancer survivors.

The report emphasizes the critical role of efficient use of healthcare budgets in providing high-quality care to address inequalities in patient outcomes. It identifies several common reasons for inequalities, including political prioritisation of cancer care, health expenditure, availability of supporting infrastructure and medical professionals, if clinical guidelines are up to date, geographic distance to health facilities, and health literacy of the public and patients

Key findings: