No link between cancer and power stations - health minister

There are no studies which prove any link between cancer and the power stations, Health Minister Joe Cassar said this afternoon. Addressing a news conference which included the participation of several health experts, Dr Cassar said it was important not to generalise and not to use individual cases especially when related to cancer because this was a disease that caused a lot of fear. He was referring to statements made by the Labour Party as part of the electoral campaign. Nadine Delicata, who heads the health screening centre, said that in the three years that the centre has been open, the attendance rate improved to 70 per cent from 40 per cent in 2009, reaching the government target. Until 2012, 36,000 women were invited for screening. Of these, 25,000 called for the screening and more than 2000 were called back for further tests. Early cancer was detected in 116 cases. There was also an excellent response rate for the newly launched colon screening programme with a 32 per cent acceptance rate in just a month. Principal medical officer (medical statistics) Neville Calleja noted that World Health Organisation studies put Malta with the second lowest rate of cancer in the...