Question for written answer E-002390/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Liudas Mažylis (PPE), Bartosz Arłukowicz (PPE), Cristian-Silviu Buşoi (PPE), Juozas Olekas (S&D), Aušra Maldeikienė (PPE), Rasa Juknevičienė (PPE), Pietro Fiocchi (ECR), Bronis Ropė (Verts/ALE), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Olivier Chastel (Renew), Sara Cerdas (S&D), Magdalena Adamowicz (PPE), Loucas Fourlas (PPE), Cyrus Engerer (S&D), Ivan Štefanec (PPE), Valdemar Tomaševski (ECR), Maria Grapini (S&D), Viktor Uspaskich (NI), Jarosław Duda (PPE), Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (PPE), Petros Kokkalis (The Left), Luisa Regimenti (ID), Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (S&D), Gianna Gancia (ID), Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), Maria da Graça Carvalho (PPE)
Subject: Implementation of hepatitis C screening programmes in the EU
Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has set an ambitious target to eradicate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, it is estimated that about 112 500 people still die each year of liver cancer and cirrhosis related to HCV infection in the WHO European Region. Preventing and combating cancer is one of the Commission’s main health priorities for the current period. In Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the Commission stated that it would help Member States to prevent liver and stomach cancers associated with HCV and Helicobacter pylori infections by promoting the prevention of infectious cancer. Since these diseases can be cured, it is important to focus on their screening, especially considering that patients with HCV infection do not initially experience specific symptoms and may unknowingly infect others.
1. When will HCV elimination initiatives be launched and what are the deadlines for future projects? Has the content of these projects already been planned?
2. Given the significant differences in national HCV programmes and monitoring measures across Member States, are there any plans to launch pilot HCV screening programmes – for example by identifying risk groups at the primary level of healthcare?
Supporter(1)
(1) This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Rosa D'Amato (Verts/ALE)