Urvashi Prasad, Editor in Chief of the Global South Healthcare Journal and Visiting Senior Fellow at IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Reflections from WCLC 2025: Centering Patient Voices
Attending my very first World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) was an unforgettable experience. Alongside clinicians and researchers from across the world, I was honored to be recognized with the IASLC Patient Advocate Education Award – a moment made even more meaningful as I thought of my dear friend, Ravi Prakash, last year’s awardee, who tragically passed away from Stage 4 lung cancer. His passion for advocacy continues to inspire me.
WCLC left me with a deep sense of both hope and urgency. The science is advancing rapidly, but we must do more to amplify patient voices – specially from the Global South. Patients are, after all, at the heart of everything we do.
A few reflections:
- Access gaps remain stark: targeted and immunotherapies remain out of reach for many due to cost.
- Representation in research is uneven: clinical trials are scarce in countries like India and across Africa.
- Could dedicated roundtables bringing together pharma, policymakers, patients and researchers spark more actionable solutions?
One of the most powerful sessions was on young adults with lung cancer –highlighting fertility, pregnancy, dose de-escalation, and long-term survivorship. These issues need far more attention as lung cancer increasingly affects younger people.
Overall, WCLC 2025 has been an inspiring reminder of how far we’ve come and how much more remains to be done. I look forward to contributing to this global conversation, and to making sure that diverse patient experiences – especially from underrepresented regions – help shape the future of lung cancer care.”
More posts featuring Urvashi Prasad.
