Cancer Care: Less Commercial, More Patient-Focused
Patients deserve better than commercial interests driving cancer treatment and research, claim a group of worldwide oncologists and patient activists in a Comment published in The Lancet Oncology journal.
Common Sense Oncology: A New Patient-Focused Movement
The authors also lay the groundwork for the creation of a new patient-centered movement in cancer care, Common Sense Oncology ().
According to the Comment, there has been a transition over the last few decades from largely publicly sponsored clinical trials aimed to address crucial medical problems to industry-supported trials aiming for regulatory approval or financial gain.
‘Cancer care should focus more on the patient and less on the commercial benefits, experts emphasize. #cancer #PatientCare’
The authors claim industry's control of the research agenda has created a system that is predominantly focused on new cancer medicines at the expense of investigating new approaches to surgery, radiotherapy, palliative care, and prevention.
The Comment also highlights how a substantial proportion of industry revenue is used for marketing campaigns aimed at influencing patients, policy-makers, and oncologists irrespective of clinical need.
The Push to Take Cancer Care in the Direction of the Patient
Common Sense Oncology, the new movement launched with the publication of the Comment, aims to ensure that cancer care and innovation is focused on outcomes that matter to patients rather than the commercial bottom line. The authors hope to educate and empower the next generation of oncologists to push the field to do better for patients via three key areas:- Ensuring clinical trials use and report outcomes that matter to patients
- Fostering critical thinking among oncologists to make sound clinical decisions aligned with outcomes that matter to patients
- Improving patient, public, and policy-maker understanding of cancer treatment options
Prof Christopher Booth, Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, says, "While many cancer treatments make a real difference in the lives of our patients, there are growing concerns that some new treatments do not help patients live longer or feel better. Common Sense Oncology is a global initiative that prioritizes people over profits and promotes shared decision-making with patients. Our Vision is that patients have access to cancer treatments that provide meaningful improvements in outcomes that matter - irrespective of where they live."
Reference:
- Common Sense Oncology: outcomes that matter - (https:www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(23)00319-4/fulltext)
Source: Eurekalert