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STORY: WHO / CHILDHOOD CANCER MEDICINES
TRT: 03:01
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 10 DECEMBER 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND12
1. Aerial shot, WHO Headquarters exterior
2. Wide shot, Dr André Ilbawi walking
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"Today, the World Health Organization and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a leading cancer centre in the United States, are making an announcement that every child with cancer, regardless of where they live and the circumstances surrounding, will be able to access essential quality assured medicines to treat their cancer and to live a full and abundant life. This is made possible by a $200 million financial contribution from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In fact, the largest contribution in childhood cancer to improve access and to improve care."
4. Aerial shot, WHO Headquarters exterior
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"Well, for many years, we've struggled with getting essential medicines to children, and it's because of a variety of factors, whether it's a lack of money, a lack of infrastructure or a lack of the treatment guidelines that are needed to give the best possible care. But by consolidating this request, by bringing governments and partners to the table, we will change this. And in the near future, we imagine that every child will be able to access these essential medicines because we will do so as a community with the World Health Organization and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital leading the way together."
6. Med shot, Ilbawi walking
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"About 80 percent or more of children who have cancer in high income countries survive. This is a major achievement and improvement over the past decades. But that progress hasn't been achieved for children who are living in low- and middle-income countries, where 30 percent or less will survive a cancer diagnosis. One of the primary reasons is because of care that is simply not available or accessible, and medicines are a core part of the treatment of childhood cancer.”
8. Wide shot, WHO Headquarters exterior
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"Well, to begin, it starts with governments that have committed. In the first phase, we anticipate that 12 governments or more will step forward. With those governments, we will select what medicines are needed and we will work together as a community to purchase those medicines and provide them free of charge to the government. From there, we'll work with country partners to make sure those medicines are delivered safely and effectively to the children in need. Over time, this will increase to 50 countries or more within six years. This means that almost every child around the world, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries, will benefit from this platform."
10. Pan left, WHO Headquarters exterior
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"WHO will have three key roles. First, we will work directly with governments to understand their needs, how many children are diagnosed with cancer, what medicines are needed and how we can support the delivery of those medicines to the children in need. Second, is to help provide guidance, guidance on what medicines will give the best or optimal care so that children have the greatest likelihood of surviving. And third, is to work with partners. For us to succeed this is going to require a global movement. We will bring partners around the world to the table to make realistic and practical change for children with cancer everywhere."
12. Wide shot, WHO Headquarters exterior
The World Health Organization and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital today (13 Dec) announced plans to establish a platform that will dramatically increase access to childhood cancer medicines around the world.
The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, the first of its kind, will provide an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines to low-and middle-income countries.
St. Jude is making a six-year, US$ 200 million investment to launch the platform, which will provide medicines at no cost to countries participating in the pilot phase. This is the largest financial commitment for a global effort in childhood cancer medicines to date.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"Today, the World Health Organization and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a leading cancer centre in the United States, are making an announcement that every child with cancer, regardless of where they live and the circumstances surrounding, will be able to access essential quality assured medicines to treat their cancer and to live a full and abundant life. This is made possible by a $200 million financial contribution from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In fact, the largest contribution in childhood cancer to improve access and to improve care."
Each year, an estimated 400,000 children worldwide develop cancer. The majority of children living in low-and middle-income countries are unable to consistently obtain or afford cancer medicines. As a result, nearly 100,000 children die each year.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"Well, for many years, we've struggled with getting essential medicines to children, and it's because of a variety of factors, whether it's a lack of money, a lack of infrastructure or a lack of the treatment guidelines that are needed to give the best possible care. But by consolidating this request, by bringing governments and partners to the table, we will change this. And in the near future, we imagine that every child will be able to access these essential medicines because we will do so as a community with the World Health Organization and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital leading the way together."
The new platform aims to provide safe and effective cancer medicines to approximately 120,000 children between 2022 and 2027, with the expectation to scale up in future years.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"About 80 percent or more of children who have cancer in high income countries survive. This is a major achievement and improvement over the past decades. But that progress hasn't been achieved for children who are living in low- and middle-income countries, where 30 percent or less will survive a cancer diagnosis. One of the primary reasons is because of care that is simply not available or accessible, and medicines are a core part of the treatment of childhood cancer.”
This platform will provide end-to-end support-consolidating global demand to shape the market; assisting countries with the selection of medicines; developing treatment standards; and building information systems to track that effective care is being provided and to drive innovation.
This innovative approach will open a new chapter in access to cancer care by addressing medicine availability in low-and middle-income countries that is often complicated by higher prices, interruptions in supply and out-of-pocket expenditures that result in financial hardship.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"Well, to begin, it starts with governments that have committed. In the first phase, we anticipate that 12 governments or more will step forward. With those governments, we will select what medicines are needed and we will work together as a community to purchase those medicines and provide them free of charge to the government. From there, we'll work with country partners to make sure those medicines are delivered safely and effectively to the children in need. Over time, this will increase to 50 countries or more within six years. This means that almost every child around the world, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries, will benefit from this platform."
By consolidating the needs of children with cancer globally, the new platform will curtail the purchasing of sub-standard and falsified medicines that results from unauthorized purchases and the limited capacity of national regulatory authorities.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr André Ilbawi, Cancer Control Officer, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization (WHO):
"WHO will have three key roles. First, we will work directly with governments to understand their needs, how many children are diagnosed with cancer, what medicines are needed and how we can support the delivery of those medicines to the children in need. Second, is to help provide guidance, guidance on what medicines will give the best or optimal care so that children have the greatest likelihood of surviving. And third, is to work with partners. For us to succeed this is going to require a global movement. We will bring partners around the world to the table to make realistic and practical change for children with cancer everywhere."
During an initial two-year pilot phase, medicines will be purchased and distributed to 12 countries through a process involving governments, cancer centres and nongovernmental organizations already active in providing cancer care. Discussions are already ongoing with governments to determine the countries which will participate in this pilot phase. By the end of 2027, it is expected that 50 countries will receive childhood cancer medicines through the platform.
The World Health Organization and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital first collaborated in 2018, when St. Jude became the first WHO Collaborating Centre for Childhood Cancer and committed US$ 15 million for the creation of the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. This Initiative supports more than 50 governments in building and sustaining local cancer programmes and aims to increase survival to 60 percent by 2030.
