#12 Radka Maxová and Bartosz Arłukowicz – EURO HEALTH Podcast

The new episode – and final episode of the first season – of the Euro Health Podcast focuses on the creation of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (EP BECA) of the European Parliament, which is considered as real milestone in health policy. In February 2021, the Commission adopted Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, a communication recommending EU Member States to strengthen Europe's resilience to the insidious disease - cancer. The Commission’s recommendations touched upon many sectors including and preventive measures on addictive substances that cause cancer, such as alcohol and tobacco, and ensuring greater transparency in the pharmaceutical industry regarding pricing and reimbursement. It led to the creation of EP BECA. EP BECA looked in more details at cancer prevention, diagnosis to advanced treatment and follow-up care. It also focused on access to cross-border treatments and affordability of new medicines. Following 15 months of an unprecedented consultation process with experts, international organizations, public consultations, and cooperation with national governments, the Special Committee issued a report made of recommendations on how to build a comprehensive and coordinated EU strategy to fight cancer. This episode welcomes two Members of the European Parliament: MEP Bartosz Arlukowicz, and MEP Radka Maxová. In the last episode of the season, both European decision-makers talk about the Committee’ main tasks and biggest achievements as well as its next steps and tools to implement the Commission's plan with a special regard to addictions management.

🗣SPEAKERS                                                                                                                                                                     
Radka Maxová is a Czech politician. She is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019. She was elected among ANO’s representative, the ruling party of the Czech Republic. In October 2020, MEP Maxová decided to leave the populist political party, ANO. According to her, the movement has had deviated from its original ideas and became dominated by marketing interests. As a consequence of her political switch, she moved from Renew Europe to S&D political group in the European Parliament. In the European Parliament, MEP Radka Maxová is the Vice-chair of the Committee on Women’s rights and Gender Equality. She is a full member of the Special Committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation and of the Delegation to the EUMoldova Parliamentary Association Committee. MEP Maxová is also active in the work conducted by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. In the past, she has been a member of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA) which was dissolved shortly after the European Parliament adopted the BECA Report in February 2022. 

Bartosz Arłukowicz is a Polish politician and pediatrician. He is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019 among the group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats). He has served as Poland’s Minister of Health from 2011 to 2019. In the European Parliament, MEP Bartosz Arłukowicz is a full Member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. From 2020 to 2021, MEP Arłukowiscz has served as Chair of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (EP BECA) which was dissolved shortly after the European Parliament adopted the BECA Report in February 2022