Pediatric cancer survival rates around the globe are not keeping up with real-life treatment opportunities and diagnostic opportunities. The five-year survival rate for children with cancer was 30 percent in 1960s and 80 percent in 2000s. However, there have been few improvements since then.
The most vulnerable countries are those that have few options and resources. An estimated four-fifths (or more) of children with childhood cancer die in Africa. The strict regulatory nature and outdated research methods of pediatric drugs are just as problematic in Europe, the U.S., and Africa.
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration associate director in the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products urges global cooperation and insists on acknowledgment “that childhood cancer is a growing problem”International collaboration is needed in clinical research.
Collaborations like The National Children’s Cancer Society Global Outreach Program allow for donations of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to countries in greatest need. NCCS has helped 41 countries with medical aid totaling more than $292,000,000 in the past 23 years. More than 108,000 children have been helped by NCCS’s joint efforts with their pharmaceutical partners.
This collaboration allows children with cancer in the developing world to have access to more effective treatment and much-needed drugs. It also helps them detect early. There is still much to be done.
International progress is dependent on improving the quality and quantity in drug research. Oncologists emphasize the importance of modernizing regulations and cooperating outreach. With more global aid programs like NCCS available, and research progress, low-income countries will have access to more information and treatment options.
You can visit www.childcancer.org to find out more about the current state of pediatric cancer, the need for international support and global outreach. www.thenccs.org/globalOutreach.
