“I am proud to be able to coordinate the Parliamentary Intergroup “Together for a commitment against cancer” in the Chamber and I thank all my colleagues again, I hope that even during this legislature we will be able to carry forward the requests that come from the associations of patients and by the technical-scientific committee. We are facing a great challenge: to combine economic sustainability with accessibility to innovation without prejudice to the need to always put the patient’s interest at the centre. This is the task of the legislator and with the unanimously voted motion we have begun a new path of responsibility that all parliamentarians have now taken on towards cancer patients and their families”. Thus Vanessa Cattoi (Lega), coordinator of the parliamentary intergroup “Together for a commitment against cancer” in the Chamber, regarding the motion that the Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved yesterday (Cattoi first signatory, ed), a text bipartisan, which asks the Government for a precise commitment on the 12 points of the new legislative agreement 2022/2027 signed by the associations of the group “Health: an asset to defend, a right to promote” with the parties.
A clear signal of unity of all political alignments from the point of view of the commitment for the rights of oncological and onco-haematological patients – reads a note – and an important milestone for the group’s activities, just on the eve of World cancer day, international day to raise awareness of cancer, promote its prevention and raise awareness of access to treatment. The text officially kicks off work for the XIX Legislature of the Intergroup, which has also reconstituted itself in the Senate.
“The Intergroup represents the commitment of Italian politics for the rights of oncological and onco-haematological patients – declares Annamaria Mancuso, president of Salute Donna onlus and coordinator of the group “Health: a good to defend, a right to promote” – we are convinced that the Intergroup can promote important and strong actions to promote the most binding requests of the sick within the Government. We acknowledge that politicians from all sides have raised awareness of patients’ issues and needs over the past two years. I thank the deputies and senators who have allowed, through the continuous sharing and mutual exchange of ideas and reflections, the timely reconstitution of the Intergroup, a fundamental tool for open and fruitful dialogue between patient associations and Parliament”.
The motion calls for the implementation of the new National Oncology Plan (Pon) and the availability of European funds for the EU4 Health programme; but I also favor the adoption of a permanent table at the Ministry of Health with scientific societies, patient associations and members of the Intergroup to identify objectives, economic coverage and process results. But the motion also pushes on the front of prevention and oncological networks, clinical research and innovative therapies.
In our country – concludes the note – 390,700 new cancer diagnoses are estimated in 2022 (according to Cancer numbers in Italy, 2022), they were 376,000 in 2020; 3.6 million citizens are living today with a cancer diagnosis (2020 data), against 2.5 million in 2005. The serious delays accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic, which had the effect of further lengthening the waiting lists for diagnostic and screening tests. Although there has been a resumption of secondary prevention programs and surgery in the initial stage in recent months, the problem of waiting lists remains and it is a priority to solve it. The promoters of the Intergroup in the Senate, within the various parties, are Franco Zaffini (Brothers of Italy); Sandra Zampa (PD); Elena Murelli (League); Maria Domenica Castellone (M5S); Daniela Sbrollini (Action); Giovanna Petrenga (Civici d’Italia – We Moderates – UDC – Courage Italy – Us with Italy – Italy in the center – Maie).
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