The UKs cancer shame: Shocking report reveals UK spends less on treating the disease than Post-Soviet countries
The UKs cancer shame: Shocking report reveals UK spends less on treating the disease than Post-Soviet countries
In headlines:
- UK spends proportionally less on cancer than most European countries
- Only Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Portugal spent less of health budget on the disease
- Also has poorer five-year cancer survival rates than 17 other countries
Damning figures have revealed the UK spends less on cancer care than nations including Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania, a report has revealed.
The probe by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics found the UK lagging behind other countries when it comes to cancer spending as a proportion of its overall healthcare budget.
It also has poorer five-year survival rates than patients in 17 other European countries including Malta and Iceland.
More people than ever across Europe are now surviving cancer – thanks to improvements in diagnosis and treatment. – says the DailyMail.
But the UK also has a slower uptake rate of new cancer medicines compared to the five largest European economies – Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
An average of 54 per cent of cancer victims across Europe are still alive five years after falling ill.
However, in the UK, this figure drops to 50 per cent.
And while the average EU cancer spend totals six per cent of total healthcare expenditure, in the UK it is just five per cent.
In fact, only Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Portugal spent less proportionally, the report found.
Cancer cases across the continent continue to rise with 2.7 million cases in 2012, up by about around a third compared to 1995.
The most prevalent types include prostate for men and breast cancer for women as well as lung, bowel and melanoma.
The report noted that while spending on cancer medicines has more than doubled over the last ten years, this cost has largely been offset by savings.
Take a look at the expenditure chart
Read the rest HERE
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3658049/The-UKs-cancer-shame-Shocking-report-reveals-spend-treating-disease-countries-Estonia-Greece-Lithuania.html
