EDMA podporuje Světový den rakoviny

PRESS RELEASE
4 February 2011
Cancer can be prevented!
EDMA supports World Cancer Day
On the occasion of World Cancer Day 2011, EDMA, the European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association, highlights the crucial role the In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) industry plays in preventing and detecting early stages of cancer, thereby leading to more effective treatment and higher survival chances.
Brussels 4 February 2011 – EDMA, the European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association, strongly endorses World Cancer Day 2011 – promoted by the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC) – as the identification of tumour markers allows for the timely detection of cancers through simple and cost-effective in vitro tests.
Each year, globally, cancer kills more people than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Research suggests that one third of cancer-related deaths could be avoided through prevention, and another third through early detection and treatment. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that, without immediate action, the global number of deaths from cancer will increase by 80% by 2030, mostly affecting low- and middle-income countries.
Launched in 2005, World Cancer Day aims at bringing the growing cancer crisis to the attention of the public, government leaders and health policymakers worldwide. This year, the focus is on the “World Cancer Declaration”, a road map of immediate steps to reduce the global cancer burden by 2020 which the UICC asks everybody to sign. One of the Declaration’s central objectives is the global provision of affordable screening programmes.
EDMA has proven its long-standing commitment to the fight against cancer, in particular through the promotion of the added value of testing and early diagnosis. To this end, EDMA coordinates Lab Tests Online (www.labtestsonline.info), a global, multilingual, peer-reviewed, patient-centred and non-commercial information portal on laboratory testing originally developed by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC).

About EDMA:
EDMA, the European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association, represents national associations and major companies engaged in the research, development, manufacture or distribution of In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) tests in Europe. Through its membership, EDMA represents in total more than 500 companies (or over 700 legal entities) across Europe. The mission of EDMA is to raise awareness of the importance, usefulness and added value that diagnostic information can provide to healthcare. For this purpose, EDMA cooperates with European institutions, patients groups, trade associations, health professionals and academia to support an appropriate regulatory system, to work towards a realistic economic environment for healthcare in Europe and to be an effective voice in globalisation.
For more information, please visit the EDMA website or contact: Miriam Gargesi, EDMA Public Affairs and Communications Manager (Tel. +32 2 777 02 79)