Cancer patients are dying from coronavirus – and many will bear the consequences of delayed diagnosis and oncology care. Antonella Cardone was one of the speakers at the virtual event “How to find a balance between the financially demanding pandemic and the ongoing needs of cancer patients” (Balancing the reality of the pandemic’s budgets and the ongoing needs of cancer patients), which was organized by the EFPIA Oncology Platform.
The pandemic is making the situation of cancer patients much more difficult. Because they are weakened by the primary disease itself or immunocompromised due to treatment, they are extremely vulnerable if they become infected. Even those who successfully avoid the virus feel its consequences, because early screening and detection activities, numerous tests, therapies, and surgical treatments are being postponed. Antonella Cardone, director of the European Cancer Patients Coalition (ECPC), explained why cancer patients and their doctors will have to carefully “weigh up” the risk of coming to the clinic against the risk of not being treated. She shared her view on how the pandemic will change European health policy and potentially trigger a debate on amendments to the EU treaties.
