WHO

Starting in 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) will provide medicines, especially antineoplastic drugs, against childhood cancer to middle- and low-income countries. To this end, the organization has established, together with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States, the Global Platform for Access to Medicines for Childhood Cancer, through which the drugs will be offered free of charge to its participants. Initially, the drugs will be provided to those participating in the experimental phase of the initiative, which will last 2 years. The WHO indicated that this project is the first of its kind and will run until 2027.

The platform proposes to overcome the shortage of antineoplastic drugs in middle- and low-income countries, due to their high prices, supply interruptions and direct payments for them, by supplying quality drugs of this type to approximately 120,000 children during the 6-year duration of the initiative. To this end, they will provide support during all the stages of the process, intervening in the demand for the drugs, which will allow the countries to select them and to develop therapeutic criteria and strengthen the information systems in this area. At the same time, the WHO indicated that this will reduce the unauthorized purchase of counterfeit drugs and will help to solve the limitations faced by national regulatory agencies.

During its first two years, the platform will be in an experimental phase that will consist of the acquisition and distribution of drugs to 12 countries, with the participation of governments, cancer centers and non-governmental organizations committed to the fight against cancer. The WHO indicated that the countries that will participate have not yet been selected, but conversations are being held with different governments, and that the goal is to provide these drugs to 50 countries by 2027. For their part, organizations such as the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and Childhood Cancer International, expressed their agreement to be part of the initiative.

The Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, explained that this initiative arose due to the low survival rates of children with cancer in middle and low-income countries. For the implementation of the platform, St. Jude Hospital will invest USD 200 million to ensure that the drugs are provided free of charge. This contribution represents the largest financial contribution to a project of this type and complements the institution’s Global Initiative against Childhood Cancer.