Insight

Apr 15, 2025, 11:00

Roberto Vasquez Sheds Light on LMICs’ Struggles with Cancer Drug Access

Roberto Vasquez, Pediatric Oncologist at the Hospital Nacional de Niños Benjamin Bloom in El Salvador, spoke at “The Essential Medicines for Children with Cancer: From Access to Action” forum by OncoDaily about the pressing challenges LMICs face in accessing innovative cancer therapies.

His talk drew attention to the real-world barriers—procurement, pricing, and regulation – that delay or deny treatment for vulnerable pediatric patients.

Roberto Vasquez’s Session insights:

Roberto Vasquez reflects on the journey of starting a pediatric cancer program in El Salvador in 1994, when survival rates were below 5%. Thanks to collaboration with international experts and consistent efforts, survival rose to 50%. Over the years, changes in population trends, like fewer young children and more teenagers with cancer, have pushed the team to adapt.

They highlight the importance of national registries, partnerships, and access to essential medications – especially newer, lower-intensity treatments like blinatumomab, which offer hope even in places without transplant services. Despite ongoing challenges, the message is one of progress, learning, and determination to improve care and access for children in low-resource settings.

About the Forum

The Essential Medicines for Children with Cancer: From Access to Action by OncoDaily focuses on the WHO Essential Medicines List for Children, the new applications including Blinatumomab and Temozolomide, the challenges different low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are facing with the access to medications and the role of initiatives such as ACT4Children and the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines (GPACCM).

Essential Medicines for Children with Cancer