The Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), before the publication of the more than 300 proposals of the PSOE to try to form a government with United We Can, has wanted to state the absence of a National Research Plan on cancer diseases, a claim that the AECC has reiterated again.
According to the association, the PSOE proposals do include an increase in investment in research, but not on cancer diseases, although they are the leading cause of death in Spain and that it is expected that in 2030 there will be a case of cancer every 1.8 minutes in Spain and one death from this cause every 3.8 minutes. In this sense they again claim this possible National Plan, which according to their calculations could achieve 70 percent survival in these diseases in the year 2030, which currently stands at 53 percent.
Regarding the measures that would be included in this plan, the AECC explained in a breakfast for the press, that the objective is to address issues such as the loss of research talent in Spain, boost innovation in cancer, adjust research to epidemiological reality of the country and enhance non-commercial clinical trials.
Lack of motivation to return to Spain
Precisely, on the issue of the loss of research talent, in this meeting, the researcher Gema Moreno, insisted that “researchers face daily many difficulties in carrying out our work. In addition, many decide to leave Spain after finishing their training and, what is more serious, most do not want to return because of the few job opportunities and the little recognized they are here.
In addition, he continues, current mass of researchers in Spain is aging and, “if the situation does not change,” in a period of time “not very long” there will be a large group of staff and directors of groups that will not be possible fill the position because people are missing.
“Political instability is affecting research, but we are going to be insistent with our requests because it is incredible that in Spain we do not have a plan that tells us how and where we should go, something they do have in other countries such as France or States United ”, the representatives of the AECC have settled.