Public health: action plan to combat cancer 1996-2000

In its amended proposal, the Commission took over 26 of the 36 amendments tabled by the European Parliament at first reading. The main amendments aimed to redefine more clearly the programme's priorities and to increase actions relating to prevention: - the Commission should work in close cooperation with the Member States and national coordination committees together with the organisations active in the prevention of cancer with a view to implementing five main areas of action: . development and strengthening of a European network of cancer registers and support for epidemiological studies focused on prevention, . public information and health education, . training of health workers in cancer prevention, . early detection and systematic screening, . exchanges of experience on diagnosis and treatments; - in the actions listed in the annex, the Commission highlighted the specific nature of the groups targeted by the actions: epidemiological studies relating to specific population groups, information for target groups (teachers, cancer specialists, pharmacists, journalists, etc.), health education actions aimed at town planners, environmental specialists, architects and radiologists, and improvement in the actions designed to underline the importance of a healthy diet. Particular attention was paid to actions concerning the early detection of cancer (particularly in the field of research); - the Commission should make all efforts to simplify the programme's administrative procedures and to improve transparency. �