Europe faces cancer 'brain drain'
anti-cancer agents unless it doubles the amount spent on academic
clinical trials. New and more effective non-drug interventions and
prognostic markers depend on these trials for their development.
The survey revealed that the EU is massively behind the USA in its support of non-commercial cancer research, threatening the ability of the EU to translate cancer research into patient benefit. Also threatened is the ability to recruit and retain clinicians and scientists to work in cancer research, as well as the commercial attractiveness of the EU.
Dr Richard Sullivan, chair of the European Cancer Research Managers Forum, told a news conference at the Royal College of Surgeons in London: "It would appear that the problem lies both with a lack of central EU funding and with inequality between member states, with many failing to support cancer researchers adequately in their own countries."
Europe faces a 'brain drain' of cancer researchers as European Member States spend seven times less per person than the USA, a funding gap far wider than previously thought.
The funding gap has major implications both for the EU's ability to reverse the emigration of cancer researchers to the USA and for the overall commercial attractiveness of the EU. With such a close correlation between research activity and high quality service delivery, this is also likely to have an effect, ultimately, on the overall care of cancer patients.
The survey commissioned by >European Cancer Research, claimed there was insufficient funding for preventative and clinical research, with more than half of European cancer research funded by the charitable sector.
"It would appear that the problem lies both with a lack of central EU funding and with inequality between Member States, with many failing to support cancer researchers adequately in their own countries," Sullivan added.
The survey showed that the USA spent five times more per person (€17.63 compared to €3.76), and four times more as a percentage of GDP (0.0578 per cent compared to 0.0163 per cent), on cancer research than the 15 countries that were members of the EU before May 2004.
When USA spending is compared to the 25 current EU members, this gap widens to seven times more per person (€17.63 versus €2.56) and four times more as a percentage of GDP.
Spending on cancer research varied widely across Europe in 2002/2003. The UK spent the most (€388 million) while Malta spent nothing. The European Commission contributed around €90 million. When the survey analysed the spending as a proportion of GDP, the UK spent the most (0.0267 per cent), followed by Sweden, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
The pharmaceutical industry alone accounts for 15 per cent of the whole EU business R&D expenditure remaining one of the most innovative industries, a key asset to the health and wealth of Europe. However, the challenge it now faces of declining competitiveness as compared to the USA, where the environment is more attractive for R&D investment and more supportive of pharmaceutical innovation
Dr Sullivan said: "There are important conclusions to draw from the results of this survey. Europe needs to develop a broad portfolio for cancer research, and more funding needs to go to translational, clinical and preventative research, which is currently under-funded."
He also recommended that charitable (not-for-profit) organisations should be recognised as equal partners in all matters, from European cancer policy development to accessing EU research funding.
"There is huge disparity in cancer research funding between member states. Individual countries should be aware of this and make efforts to increase their own funding, while the European Commission should address the problem, both through its funding policy and through improved co-ordination and collaboration across the whole of Europe," he said.
