Stop Cancer at Work: Calling the European Commission to act

Occupational cancers claim 100,000 lives in Europe every year and is now the leading cause of work-related deaths.¹ 

Hospital workers who handle cytotoxic drugs used in cancer treatments are three times more likely to develop malignancy, and nurses exposed to these drugs are twice as likely to miscarry.² 

12.7 million healthcare workers (HCWs) in Europe are potentially exposed to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic hazardous drugs every year.²

The numbers speak for themselves.

The Stop Cancer at Work campaign is working to help reduce occupational cancer. 

Comprised of professional organisations, trade unions and patient groups, the campaign is calling upon the European Commission to approve recently proposed amendments to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMD) that will incorporate key policy changes, namely the inclusion of hazardous drugs and reprotoxins under its umbrella of hazardous substances.

The approval of these amendments would relieve a great burden on HCWs and could aid in taking occupational cancers off the list of leading work-related deaths. These amendments could help save lives.

They address additional preventative measures, a more coherent risk-based methodology and legal certainty for employers and European member states.²

European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit admitted in February this year that he was persuaded of the dangers of cancer treatments on the healthcare workers due to the risk of exposure to hazardous drugs, and would present a follow-up proposal for greater HCW safety.² A month later, on March 25th, 2021, the European Parliament voted in favor of the new legislation, yet the trilogue process, which involves the European Council, European Parliament and European Commission, concluded on June 30th with no discussion—and no action—regarding the amendments to the CMD.²

As the European presidency shifted to Slovenia on July 1, 2021, the CMD and its proposed amendments must be addressed with proper care and promptness to urgently provide the protection that HCWs deserve.

To learn more about the Stop Cancer at Work Campaign and their call to the European Commission for action, read the full press release.

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