Closing the cancer treatment gap: PatientsForce works to improve access to new medicines
AI-translated from the Chinese original · editorially reviewed
China Times / Reported by Wei Yi-chia 2024/02/04 04:10
Sean Chang, General Manager of PatientsForce, said the hope is that every cancer patient can equally access life-saving early detection, treatment, and support, and that the company can help providers of new medicines plan and manage personalized services.
February 4 is World Cancer Day, and organizations around the world are focusing on the inequities that exist in cancer treatment, jointly calling to "close the treatment gap." Domestic patient support service groups note that Taiwan's National Health Insurance system already offers a wide range of equal medical options; if it could be joined by a system that strengthens market innovation in medical payment, then through collaboration with government, healthcare institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the public and private sectors, innovative reimbursement concepts could fill the gap in the early stage after a new treatment launches, when patient scale is insufficient but demand is strong. Combined with patient navigation services, this would help patients better understand the various new treatment options and thereby gain a better chance of good treatment outcomes.
This year the US Congress passed a special resolution designating February 4 as World Cancer Day, to underscore the importance of taking meaningful action to raise awareness of inequities in cancer treatment and to support efforts to close the treatment gap.
In addition to that resolution, the NCCN, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), and the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) jointly announced three major policy focus areas: (1) advancing diversity in clinical trials; (2) improving cancer screening and early detection; (3) increasing access to patient navigation.
PatientsForce, a patient support service management company, is committed to innovative support services for patients in Taiwan, especially in helping cancer patients access the latest drug treatments at affordable prices. Sean Chang, General Manager of PatientsForce, stressed the hope that every cancer patient can equally access life-saving early detection, treatment, and support, and that the company can help providers of new medicines plan and manage personalized services.
PatientsForce is not only a company that manages drug-cost support programs; it also offers a comprehensive suite of accompanying services, including patient education, treatment adherence consultation, and support for patients' families, bringing treatment outcomes closer to the ideal. Sean Chang said, "Through our efforts, we hope to close the gap in patients' access to advanced medical resources, so that more people can enjoy equal treatment opportunities." By providing financial assistance and support services, PatientsForce has helped more than 50,000 cancer patients obtain physician-prescribed self-paid drugs, significantly improving access to new medicines.
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