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WHO’s Childhood Cancer Medicine Initiative
Context:
The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines is a joint initiative between the World Health Organisation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital aimed at addressing disparities in childhood cancer survival rates, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Key Highlights
- Survival Rates: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), childhood cancer survival rates are below 30%, much lower than the 80% survival rate in high-income countries.
- Goal: To provide uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines at no cost to countries in the pilot phase.
- Pilot Phase: The first shipments of medicines are being delivered to Mongolia and Uzbekistan.
- Further deliveries are planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia as part of the project’s pilot phase.
- The treatments are expected to benefit around 5,000 children this year across at least 30 hospitals in six countries.
Long-Term Goals and Expansion
- The platform aims to expand to 50 countries in the next five to seven years, ultimately reaching 120,000 children.
- Six additional countries have been invited to join the initiative.
- WHO has assured that the cost-free provision of medicines will continue beyond the pilot phase, with efforts to develop a sustainable long-term model.
Addressing Global Childhood Cancer Disparities
- An estimated 400,000 children develop cancer annually, with most cases occurring in resource-limited settings.
- Around 70% of children in these regions die from cancer due to lack of appropriate treatment, treatment disruptions, or low-quality medicines.
- WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised that children with cancer have long faced difficulties in accessing life-saving medicines.
Partnership and Funding
- The platform was initially announced in December 2021.
- It is a joint initiative between the WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The combined efforts of both organisations aim to increase the childhood cancer survival rate to 60% by 2030.
- St. Jude’s has committed $200 million to launch and support the program.
- UNICEF Supply Division and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Strategic Fund are key partners in supporting the platform.
Global Impact and Future Goals
- The platform consolidates global demand, assists with medicine selection, and supports treatment standards.
- This innovative model will serve as an example for other health challenges, especially those affecting children and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
This initiative marks a significant step toward bridging the healthcare gap in childhood cancer treatment, ensuring equitable access to life-saving medicines in underserved regions.
St. Jude and WHO’s Collaborative History
- St. Jude has been a partner to WHO since 2018, when it became the first WHO Collaborating Centre for Childhood Cancer and pledged $15 million to the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.
- This new platform synergises with the Global Initiative, accelerating the progress towards greater equity in childhood cancer treatment globally.
