US JOURNAL PUBLISHES GROUND-BREAKING RESEARCH ON CANCER CARE BY WORLD INNOVATION SUMMIT FOR HEALTH

Study Demonstrates How Precision Medicine Can Help Deliver High-Quality Cancer Care

Doha, Qatar, 9 September 2015: Experts from the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), a global initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), have conducted a pioneering study on challenges in delivering high-quality cancer care. The research was published in the September edition of the US policy journal, Health Affairs.

Through this study, WISH aims to inspire and diffuse healthcare innovation and best practice, remaining closely aligned to the vision and mission of QF to unlock human potential and serve to underscore Qatar’s pioneering role as an emerging centre for healthcare innovation.

The research was authored by Ryan Callahan, Policy Fellow at the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, and Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of WISH and Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London. The paper calls on policymakers to promote transparency and accountability to bring about value-based decision-making.

According to the research, the burden of cancer on public finances is a serious concern for policymakers. More people are developing cancer, and as standards of care have risen, more are surviving, requiring longer-term care. In 2010, over 13 million people developed cancer and the worldwide costs of cancer care were conservatively estimated at $290 billion. By 2030, spending on cancer care is projected to reach $458 billion.

Furthermore, cancer care costs also directly affect the patients themselves and can lead to personal bankruptcy. According to the article, cancer patients in the UK spend £570 on average per month on ancillary services and indirect costs of care. In the US, cancer patients have been shown to be over 2.5 times as likely to declare bankruptcy as other patients.
Lord Darzi said: “The challenge of cancer is daunting and it will only intensify. As populations age, more people are developing cancer, they are surviving longer with it and treatment costs are soaring. The only way to help patients get the treatment they need is to ensure that money is spent effectively. Through our research into this vital issue, we hope to inspire policymakers to adopt our recommendations to meet the value challenge in cancer care and ultimately improve the lives of the populations they serve.”

An international expert group convened by WISH examined innovative ways of delivering affordable cancer care and presented its findings at the WISH Summit held earlier this year in Doha, Qatar.
For more information please visit: wish.org.qa

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

For more information please contact:

1. Rania Abou
WISH Communications Officer
rmabou@wish.org.qa

2. R. Callahan & A. Darzi ‘Five Policy Levers To Meet The Value Challenge In Cancer Care’ Health Affairs 34, No. 9 (2015) doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0308

After the embargo the paper will be available at: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/34/9/1563.abstract

3. About the World Innovation Summit for Health:
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), founded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson.
The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of on-going initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research and industry.
Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the world’s most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action.

4. About Imperial College London
Consistently rated amongst the world’s best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment – underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.
Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial’s contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.
In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK’s first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.
www.imperial.ac.uk

5. Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a private, non-profit organisation that is supporting Qatar on its journey from a carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world. Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Father Amir of Qatar, QF is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
QF carries out its mission through three strategic pillars: education, science and research, and community development. QF’s education pillar brings world-class universities to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy. Meanwhile, its science and research pillar builds Qatar’s innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercialising solutions through key sciences. Finally, its community development pillar helps foster a progressive society while also enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar’s heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.
For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, visit http://www.qf.org.qa
For more information about Qatar Foundation please contact our press office at: pressoffice@qf.org.qa