Budget for Children’s Cancer Research in France Missing €15 Million, Government Faces Criticism
A budget of €15 million earmarked for research on children’s cancer in France has gone missing, despite being approved for inclusion in the recent fiscal year’s budget. The government has pledged to retrieve the funds, disavowing any responsibility in the matter. Approximately 2,300 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in children and teenagers in France every year.
Following the approval of the budget, several elected officials and organizations have expressed astonishment at the exclusion of the allocated funds for researching children’s cancer, especially since it was approved in the final session of the Assembly and Senate last year.
Despite being deemed a crucial issue, the government’s omission of this funding has drawn strong criticism. Assembly member Sylvain Maillard of the Renaissance Party highlighted that the vote had been unanimously agreed upon, demanding the government to reintegrate the sum into the budget. Opposition against the government’s handling of the issue is particularly vocal among left-wing politicians. Reports suggest that the government trimmed this budget to balance it, along with similar reductions in the space research budget.
Secretary-General of the Elite Party, Marine Tondelier, criticized the government for making cuts instead of investing in children’s health and well-being. However, the government has denied direct responsibility in the matter, explaining that the reduction was decided during a joint commission meeting where this allocation was not included. Subsequently, this draft was approved in the Assembly without a vote.
The government has promised to issue a policy statement regarding this issue, expressing its intention to reintegrate the €15 million for children’s cancer research into the budget. Additionally, the Minister of Education and Health has pledged to meet with all relevant stakeholders promptly.
This news is welcomed by organizations working on children’s cancer, as they strive to secure further resources for tackling this issue. President Moriel Héteau of the Princess Margaret Foundation hopes that this controversy will shed more light on the topic of children’s cancer, which will be commemorated on International Childhood Cancer Day on February 15th.
