The initiative calls for changing incentives in the research system, enhanced prevention and screening efforts, engaging patients as ‘partners in research’ with easy ways to share health information, expanded access to care and new therapies, and addressing rising drug prices. It has already resulted in various public-private partnerships to share research faster, support innovation, and encourage a greater sense of collaboration. It also has boosted patients’ ability to participate in clinical research.
As part of our campaign blog series for World Cancer Day, we have looked at the progress of the Cancer Moonshot and how a new era of clinical collaboration, data sharing and problem solving could achieve the project’s objectives.
We then turned our focus to the key trends in 2017 that may move the needle forwards. Our concluding blog draws together ideas and thoughts from contributors to our Twitter chat on the same topic. Below we have collated some interesting opinions shared during this #PhilipsChat.
The ability to provide high-quality diagnostics, new care programs and the rise of immunotherapy – harnessing the immune system to attack cancer – are all areas our experts cited as key milestones in the efforts to find a cure for cancer. Experts also queried what the biggest accomplishments were – whether they were, in fact, technological or awareness programs, or progress made in research.
“Surely the innovations of the last three years in providing better diagnostics, earlier and more sensitive, will bring a lot of momentum,” tweeted Joop van den Heuvel, Field Marketing Director, Philips Oncology
We first need to create enough noise, which is collect multiple data points, understand the non-linear interaction of them, and maybe we will find some signals. Today we are far away from that.
More participation is also needed. The Association for Community Cancer Centers tweeted that we need to find effective ways to talk to and listen to patients. More examples need to be shared from both the healthcare industry and the community, said Joop van den Heuvel. “Evidence-based research and data can propel this field,” he added. Dr. Doddihal said: “Democratization of data is needed, so faster and better analysis of the same sets of data can be done. #Cancermoonshot sustains when everyone is involved.”
Do you think it’s worth pursuing the Cancer Moonshot initiative after the end of the Obama administration? And what would you do to keep the momentum and advance this program?
April 23, 2020
- By Atul Gupta
February 10, 2020
- By Atul Gupta, MD
September 13, 2019
- By Henk van Houten