92001E0420

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0420/01

by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 February 2001)

Subject: Testing for cervical cancer

Each year, thousands of European women die from cervical cancer because of the inadequacies of the current testing system. Recent studies by the German Universities of Hanover and Tübingen reveal that more than half of all pap smears are inaccurate.

What measures, if any, does the Commission intend to take to improve the detection rate for cervical cancer? Will it encourage Member States to introduce systematic testing?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 2001)

Under the Europe against Cancer programme, a European network for screening for cervical cancer has been set up, which develops a consensus on the best practice for secondary prevention of cervical cancer by screening. To this end a consensus conference on screening for cancer including cervical, breast, prostate and other cancers was held in November 1999 in Vienna. The Advisory Committee on Cancer Prevention, which advises the Commission on all issues related to the prevention of cancer, delivered a set of recommendations on cancer prevention by screening. The Commission plans to propose Council Recommendations on Screening for Cancer, based on these recommendations.