Action for Breast Cancer Foundation presented a petition with 4,854 signatures to Dr Justyne Caruana MP, PL spokesperson for family and equal rights. The petition was presented at Parliament on 17 March. Dr Joseph Cassar MP was also present. In her brief Helen Muscat, chairperson of ABCF, outlined the purpose of the petition. The petition requests that women eligible for breast screening receive a quality assured service. This can only be achieved by following the European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis. The women who signed the petition are aware of the need for screening, by signing the petition they are indicating that they are ready to participate in the national breast screening. It is extremely important that there is a high uptake for this service to make it both cost-effective and viable.

ABCF is now an official associated member of UICC, the International Union Against Cancer and will be represented at the UICC Reach to Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Conference next May in Brisbane, Australia. A paper will be presented on the situation in Malta.

Last December ABCF was also represented in Brussels at the Heal (Health and Environment Alliance) workshop where a number of issues were discussed that relate to the environment and breast cancer – among which are the air, soil, pesticides and water.

ABCF lobbied hard during last year so that Herceptin treatment would be added to the government formulary for free medicine. Although ABCF commends the approval of Herceptin to be given free to all patients with HER positive tumours it is sad to note, according to protocol breast cancer,

herceptin receptive recurrent patients are not eligible for this treatment free of charge.

ABCF stresses the importance of continuing to lobby for medication related to breast cancer to be updated. The recent Global Breast Cancer meeting at St Gallen, Switzerland, will be followed by the issuing of guidelines in June/July related to Aromatase Inhibitors. This type of drug will be recommended for use in the initial adjuvant setting for early breast cancer patients. The use of Aromatase Inhibitors in the initial phase of treatment is already being practiced at leading cancer hospitals such as the Royal Marsden in the UK.