I could editorialize...but I won't even bother!

[Lani]

Political decisions harming cancer treatment in Europe; time to stand up and be counted, say oncologists [European Cancer Organization]
Barcelona, Spain: Recent political decisions have had serious consequences for European oncology, said Professor John Smyth at ECCO 14, the European Cancer Conference, today (Monday 24 September 24). Professor Smyth, President of the Federation of European Cancer Societies (FECS) said that the new European CanCer Organisation (ECCO) would take an active role in engaging with policymakers to ensure that future legislation did not have a similarly negative impact.
Professor Smyth cited the Clinical Trials Directive and the recent Directive on Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) as two examples of legislation that had had a major negative impact on oncology in Europe. "In the first, the academic oncology community woke up too late and found that the administrative and financial burden of running clinical trials had increased to the extent that many simply gave up," he said. "Now the Directive on Electromagnetic Fields looks as though it may stop all MRI scanning in Europe. We simply cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand on these issues, which affect doctors and patients alike."
Forthcoming topics of concern were the problems of international collaboration on stem cell research where European countries had widely differing legislation, and the whole area of the escalating cost of cancer treatment. "The successful development of many new anti-cancer drugs in recent years is challenging every health economic programme in Europe," said Professor Smyth. "It is imperative to find ways to improve the cost effectiveness of cancer treatment in general, and particularly the use of drugs. Improving the cost effective use of medicines is a major priority for industry, politicians and the public at large.
"Due to these new and improved treatments, screening, and earlier and better diagnosis, cancer patients are living longer and better lives. But how will the huge financial burden on society that this implies be met? ECCO will be asking governments and the European Commission to consider these issues as a matter or urgency."
ECCO will bring together major players in cancer research, treatment, and care in order to create awareness of patients' wishes and needs, encourage progressive thinking in cancer policy, education, and training, and continue to promote European cancer research and its application through the organisation of multi-disciplinary meetings and conferences, he said.
"The difference between the new ECCO and the old FECS will be that the new organisation has decided to take a far more active role in engaging with policymakers to promote the interests of both cancer patients, those who care for them; and those without whose research there would be no advances in treatment and care," he said. "For too long oncologists have sat back and said that getting involved in politics is not their business, and recent events have shown us that this is an attitude which is no longer sustainable.
" The last two years had given ample opportunity for reflection, said Professor Smyth. "Not only did we consult our members, but we also carried out an audit of many players in oncology, patient groups, media, and other stakeholders. They all told us the same thing - they wanted to see a democratic, representative, and visionary organisation tackle the problems that are currently besetting oncology science and practice. An organisation that would provide consistently dependable information on the state of oncology in Europe, and through that information provision would strive to improve the lot of everyone involved in cancer.
"It is a daunting task, but one that needs to be undertaken. And we will do our very best to carry it out."
European Directive will halt use of MRI scans; cancer diagnosis and treatment will suffer [European Cancer Organization]
Barcelona, Spain: Implementation of the Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive 2004/40/EC in all Member States could effectively halt the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an important tool in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research, a scientist told a press conference at the European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14) today (Monday September 24). The Directive is due to be implemented across Europe by April 2008.
The Directive was drafted by DG Employment, with the aim of minimising workers' exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Currently 8 million MRI patient examinations per year are carried out in Europe, said Professor Dag Rune Olsen, who works in experimental radiation therapy at the Norwegian Radiation Hospital, Oslo, Norway, and is chairman of the physics committee of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO). "But these are likely to have to stop, since the Directive sets limits to occupational radiation exposure which will mean that anyone working or moving near MRI equipment will breach them, thus making it possible for them to sue their employers. Even those maintaining or servicing the equipment may be affected," he said.
A British study into operator exposure to electromagnetic fields from MRI, published by the Heath and Safety Executive in June 2007, and carried out by Professor Stuart Crozier from Brisbane University, Australia, found that anyone standing within about 1 metre of an MRI scanner in use would breach the exposure limits laid down in the directive. The Commission has accepted this, and said that it will consider the HSE report together with the study it has commissioned itself, and which is due for publication in October 2007, when deciding whether and how to propose amendments to the directive or to extend the implementation period.
"But they may already be too late," said Professor Olsen. "Slovakia has already implemented the directive, on the grounds that it was based on the assumption that the limits which it sets would have no effect. This would appear to mean that it now illegal to carry out MRI scanning in the country."
The directive in its present form poses particular problems to those healthcare staff who care for patients such as children, the elderly, or those who have been anaesthetised, who need help and comfort during scans. It will also stop the use of MRI for interventional and surgical procedures, and will curtail cutting edge research.
A recent Eurobarometer (Europe-wide opinion poll) showed that most EU citizens felt that they were inadequately protected by authorities against the potential health risk posed by electromagnetic fields. More than two-thirds of people interviewed said that they were not satisfied with the information they received on EMF, and one-third said that they had not been informed at all.
However, in the medical field the use of MRI may lead to less exposure to radiation rather than more, said Professor Olsen. "MRI has to a certain extent contributed to a limit in the increase in the use of ionising radiation in medical imaging, for example, in CT scans. This is important with respect to radiation-related cancer mortality risks and is as such in line with requirements laid down in EURATOM Directive 97/43 regarding optimisation and justification of medical exposure to ionising radiation," he said. "If the public were informed of this I am sure that they would be as keen as I am to see that MRI is allowed to continue. The added value that MRI represents to medical diagnostics has been tremendous.
"Policy-making should be based on sound science, and to my knowledge there is no scientific evidence of long-term adverse health effects of exposure to static or fluctuating magnetic fields that are commonly found during MR scanning. Hasty decisions without scientific support will in this case have a severe impact on medical diagnostics and must thus be avoided. I hope that the Commission will allow a delay in implementation to enable it to examine this issue again and that the Directive could be amended to allow an EU-wide derogation for MRI," he concluded.