By Bruce Wilson, VP, US Oncology Care and Access
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US after heart disease and a leading cause of death worldwide.1,2 Reliable access to screening and treatment can vary based on a person’s socioeconomic status, geography, health insurance status and other factors.3 These barriers may contribute to a higher likelihood of a person being diagnosed with a late-stage cancer that could be treated more effectively if diagnosed earlier.3
At AstraZeneca, we believe every person navigating cancer deserves the best treatment available to live longer, healthier lives. We are committed to addressing gaps in prevention, screening, and access to care, including improving outcomes through earlier identification and treatment of cancer. Alongside advocates and partners, we are working to reduce barriers to care through policy initiatives, as well as patient support and navigator programs.
Accelerating Change Through Policy
As part of our mission to deliver life-changing medicines for patients, we’re collaborating with stakeholders across the industry to change the oncology treatment landscape and expand access to optimal care. Two examples of these critical initiatives include:
1. Improving Access to Precision Medicine
Biomarker testing allows providers to identify targeted therapies for patients based on their genetic profile that may improve outcomes.4 Despite its established benefits, biomarker testing is not always covered by a patient’s health insurance.5
AstraZeneca supports efforts at the federal and state levels to expand access to cancer screening, including state biomarker testing bills. Working with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), we support legislation in New York requiring all state-regulated health plans to cover biomarker testing when it is supported by medical and scientific evidence. In other states, we’re working with ACS CAN to include legislative language that would limit the use of prior authorization for biomarker testing.
2. Multi-Cancer Early Detection
Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests are revolutionary blood-based technology that screen for cancer in people at risk (over the age of 50) before they present with any symptoms. These tests look for different types of cancer in a single sample of blood using genomic medicine advances and artificial intelligence. Over 70 percent of cancer deaths are caused by cancers without early screening options, and increased access to these new tools may help increase early-stage diagnosis and enable earlier treatment for a wider range of cancers.6
Today, Medicare coverage is limited to screening for just five out of hundreds of cancers.7 We support the Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act and the advocacy community in support of this legislation, including ACS CAN, Prevent Cancer Foundation, and Association of Community Cancer Centers, to provide Medicare coverage of MCED screening tests once they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Committed to Improving Access & Affordability
While policy initiatives are vital to ultimately improve the future of cancer care for all, we also understand the criticality of support programs that improve access and affordability for people currently managing the impact of a cancer diagnosis for themselves or a loved one. Through the AZ&Me Prescription Savings Program, eligible patients may receive assistance if they have been prescribed an AstraZeneca medication and are having difficulty affording it.
AstraZeneca also partners with advocacy groups that provide resources and support to people navigating cancer. For example, the American Cancer Society (ACS) Hope Lodge is available to cancer patients and caregivers traveling far from home for outpatient medical care. Over 30+ Hope Lodge communities nationwide provide comfortable amenities and a community of support with others facing the same journey—free of charge.
We also partner with ACS on their Patient Navigation Initiative, which provides grants, education, and support to 20 health systems that help bridge the gap in care for historically underserved populations. It’s a critical initiative to enhance current access to patient navigators while also providing a long-term solution that is both durable and sustainable.
Conclusion
Despite significant advancements in cancer treatment and prevention, cancer remains a major public health challenge. Addressing barriers to care in the pursuit of improved cancer health equity and outcomes requires commitment from all stakeholder communities. Collectively, we need to redefine cancer care and help patients navigate complexities throughout the care continuum. Policy initiatives and patient support programs are only a few of the ways to help break down care barriers so that one day, every person has access to the best available treatment and outcomes.
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1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2023/2023-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf. Accessed December 2023.
2. World Health Organization. Cancer Facts. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Accessed December 2023.
3. National Cancer Institute. Cancer Disparities. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/disparities. Accessed December 2023.
4. Serelli-Lee V, et al. A State-of-the-Art Roadmap for Biomarker-Driven Drug Development in the Era of Personalized Therapies. J. Pers. Med. 2022;12(5):669. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12050669.
5. American Cancer Society. Biomarker Tests and Cancer Treatment. 2022. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/diagnosis-staging/tests/biomarker-tests.html. Accessed December 2023.
6. Ezell S. Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. Seizing the Transformative Opportunity of Multi-cancer Early Detection. https://itif.org/sites/default/files/2021-multi-cancer-detection.pdf. Accessed December 2023.
7. Medicare. Preventive & Screening Services. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/preventive-screening-services. Accessed December 2023.
