Alexander Roediger, Associate Vice-President, Global Lead Oncology Policy at MSD, shared on LinkedIn:
“One of the first things I came across when starting my career at UNICEF several years ago was ‘Facts for Life‘, a simple but powerful handbook providing life-saving advice to families around the world.
What struck me was that while UNICEF serves children, its key stakeholders are often parents. Success depends on creating the right environment for children.
I see the same lesson today in cancer care.
Scientific breakthroughs, innovative medicines, diagnostics, and new technologies only improve patient outcomes when supported by effective health policies and resilient health systems.
Innovation without access is like a train in the desert without tracks.
The recent WHO ‘Global Status Report on Cancer‘ reinforces this point: technological progress alone is not enough.
We must also invest in the policies, systems, and pathways that enable patients to benefit from innovation.
There is one additional lesson that connects my UNICEF experience with my work in oncology: participation. Just as involving children helps create better cities and communities, involving people with lived experience helps create better cancer policies and healthcare systems.
Patients should not only benefit from care, they should help shape it.”
Global status report on cancer 2026: the future we choose together
Other articles featuring Alexander Roediger on OncoDaily.