Insight

Oct 17, 2024, 02:03

The American Cancer Society and Pfizer: Breaking Barriers in Cancer Care Disparities

On February 5th, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Pfizer launched “Change the Odds: Uniting to Improve Cancer OutcomesTM,” a three-year initiative aimed at addressing disparities in cancer care.

With $15 million in funding from Pfizer, the initiative seeks to improve health outcomes in medically underrepresented communities across the United States by enhancing awareness of and access to cancer screenings, clinical trial opportunities, patient support, and comprehensive navigation.

The initiative will initially focus on breast and prostate cancer, which are among the most common types of cancer diagnosed in the U.S. ACS plans to engage additional partners to extend the reach of programmatic activities to more individuals and deepen the tangible impact in select communities.

American Cancer Society

The goal of “Change the Odds” is to accelerate access to current treatments and future scientific advancements, driving sustainable solutions for equitable outcomes for all patients. Through this initiative, American Cancer Society aims to empower patients and healthcare providers with information about clinical trials while addressing barriers to participation. This collaborative effort highlights the importance of community-centric approaches in making a tangible difference in the lives of those impacted by cancer.

Karen E. Knudsen, Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS), and Chris Boshoff, Chief Oncology Officer and Executive Vice President at Pfizer, emphasize the critical importance of collaboration to ensure equitable access to cancer care for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or geographic location.

American Cancer Society

Dr. Knudsen stated that the goal of the initiative “Change the Odds: Uniting to Improve Cancer OutcomesTM” is to address disparities in cancer care through strong partnerships.

“Our goal of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone, including medically underrepresented communities, can only be attained through strong and actionable partnerships with a shared vision like ours with Pfizer. Our collaboration will help unlock ACS’ full potential in addressing health disparities with measurable, sustainable, and systemic solutions to deliver access to high-quality care and treatments for every individual.” – Karen E. Knudsen, Chief Executive Officer, American Cancer Society

Chris Boshoff echoed this sentiment, asserting that cancer does not discriminate and neither should cancer care.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate – and neither should cancer care. Everyone should have the same opportunity to access the latest advances in care, regardless of their background or where they live. We’re proud to partner with the American Cancer Society on a broad, community-focused initiative to reach people living with cancer where they are, with urgency, and connect them to resources to receive the care they deserve.” – Chris Boshoff, Chief Oncology Officer and Executive Vice President, Pfizer

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