Contact:
Julian Mattocks
Phone: +43-1-81140-308
E-Mail: mattocks@pressetext.com
| Pressbox | 
|
Brussels (pte041/30.03.2005/14:30) - Europe is at risk of losing some of its most talented cancer experts if funding on research is not doubled, a new survey warns. As the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk reports, the European Cancer Research Managers Forum (ECRMF) said that a brain drain of top scientists could damage patient care. The survey found that EU member states spend seven times less per person on cancer research than in the US. It also found that European research focuses on the biology of cancer, rather than the development of treatments and preventative strategies, and is heavily reliant on the charitable sector.
As well as calling for more funds for research, the ECRMF wants to see greater collaboration between funders to ensure that the money is spent as effectively as possible. "The EU is not spending enough on cancer research and the funding gap between the EU and the USA is so wide that this has had major implications both for the ability of the EU to reverse the emigration of cancer researchers to the USA and for the overall commercial attractiveness of the EU," said Richard Sullivan, ECRMF's chair. "With such a close correlation between research activity and high quality service delivery, this is also likely to have an effect, ultimately, on the overall care of cancer patients."
According to Sullivan, funds are in short supply both centrally from the EU and from individual states, although there is wide variation. "In the short term, Europe needs to double the amount it spends on cancer research," he added. According to Gordon McVie, senior consultant to the European Institute of Oncology http://www.ieo.it in Milan, up to 20,000 more lives could be saved each year if funding for cancer research was increased. "This is a clarion call to the European Commission to increase funding for cancer research," he said. "The survey shows that Europe is a second-class continent in terms of cancer research funding. We know that cancer research leads to better cancer care for the patient, and so it is vital that it is properly funded in Europe."
(end)
|
|
