Expansion of cancer care and control in countries of low and middle income: A call to action

Paul Farmer, Julio Frenk, Felicia M. Knaul, Lawrence N. Shulman, George Alleyne, Lance Armstrong, Rifat Atun, Douglas Blayney, Lincoln Chen, Richard Feachem, Mary Gospodarowicz, Julie Gralow, Sanjay Gupta, Ana Langer, Julian Lob-Levyt, Claire Neal, Anthony Mbewu, Dina Mired, Peter Piot, K. Srinath ReddyJeffrey D. Sachs, Mahmoud Sarhan, John R. Seffrin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

430 Scopus citations

Abstract

Substantial inequalities exist in cancer survival rates across countries. In addition to prevention of new cancers by reduction of risk factors, strategies are needed to close the gap between developed and developing countries in cancer survival and the effects of the disease on human suffering. We challenge the public health community's assumption that cancers will remain untreated in poor countries, and note the analogy to similarly unfounded arguments from more than a decade ago against provision of HIV treatment. In resource-constrained countries without specialised services, experience has shown that much can be done to prevent and treat cancer by deployment of primary and secondary caregivers, use of off-patent drugs, and application of regional and global mechanisms for financing and procurement. Furthermore, several middle-income countries have included cancer treatment in national health insurance coverage with a focus on people living in poverty. These strategies can reduce costs, increase access to health services, and strengthen health systems to meet the challenge of cancer and other diseases. In 2009, we formed the Global Task Force on Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries, which is composed of leaders from the global health and cancer care communities, and is dedicated to proposal, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to advance this agenda.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1186-1193
Number of pages8
JournalThe Lancet
Volume376
Issue number9747
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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