Vigenin: Every cancer patient in Europe must have access to modern therapies and medicines

“Our main problem in the European Union is that although we have so many European policies that are visibly successful, healthcare is still not one of them.” This was stated by Kristian Vigenin, the Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, during a discussion organised by Cancer Patients Europe on the disparities in access to cancer care in the EU. In his words, many of the problems could be solved more effectively if health policy were made a priority.

Vigenin noted that a fairly strong framework for healthcare has already been built at European level. He gave as examples European legislation, health technology assessment and patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.

Unequal access to medicines and treatment

“Even so, access to medicines, treatments and diagnostic tests continues to vary both between Member States and within the countries themselves,” Vigenin commented. He pointed out that a medicine may become available much faster in one Member State, while in another there can be a significant delay. “Sometimes there are several specialists who can carry out these tests, and a given treatment is available only in one or two large centres in the country, hundreds of kilometres away,” the MEP said.

According to Vigenin, closer European cooperation on innovation, clinical trials and rare diseases, as well as sharing more information, ideas and medical professionals between Member States, can improve the lives of many patients in Europe.

Funding for healthcare

“For me personally, the most urgent issue right now is to secure the necessary funding for healthcare in the next European budget, especially to guarantee the resources for Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan,” Vigenin stressed. In his words, more financial resources at European level will create more incentives for Member States to work together on various projects, treatments and medicines.