Cancer diagnosis rates have fallen during Covid-19, and that’s not a good thing
AstraZeneca’s Sameh ElFangary, GCC Cluster President, and Peter Raouf, GCC Oncology Business Unit Director, offer their perspectives on how they are doing everything they can to support patients with cancer during the pandemic.
AstraZeneca's Sameh ElFangary, GCC Cluster President, and Peter Raouf, GCC Oncology Business Unit Director
In light of Covid-19, we have seen a major step change in the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry over the last 12 months. Our industry is being spoken about like never before. The value of partnerships, research and development, collaboration and vaccine development has taken centre stage, creating a pivotal moment for the industry, as we come together to fight the pandemic. There has never been a more monumental time for us to reset and build trust with the public in order to change even more lives for the better.
Living in the UAE, it has also been extraordinary to witness the government’s admirable handling of the pandemic first-hand, in addition to the astonishing vaccination rate. As devastating as this disease has been, hope has also shone through in the lasting lessons we have learnt; we can now see the true power of collaboration in accelerating scientific breakthroughs when people need it most.
However, one of the hardest lessons for us to bear is that Covid-19 has understandably diverted attention away from other key areas, especially when it comes to healthcare. This has been felt acutely across the sector with global experts warning of a parallel epidemic hitting those with cancer, mental health and chronic conditions the hardest. It is clear there is a need for a renewed emphasis in these forgotten areas of healthcare, particularly when it comes to the other ‘big C’ – Cancer. According to the Journal of Clinical Pathology, which looks at cancer diagnostic rates during 2020 in comparison to 2018-2019, there has been an approximate 40 percent drop in patients being diagnosed with cancer globally. This is an incredibly worrying statistic.
From what we are seeing across the globe, some patients with a cancer diagnosis are experiencing reduced access to treatment. We are also seeing people with possible cancer signs and symptoms not seeking help as quickly as they would have been prior to the global pandemic. According to studies, any interruption to the cancer care pathway can be detrimental to patient outcomes. Everyone is talking about Covid now, but the other ‘big C’ is a silent epidemic simmering away under the surface.
Cancer continues to be one of the biggest global health challenges in 2021 and there is an immediate need to support patients to return to care to seek the treatment they need in a timely manner. Through the support of our partners, the campaign encourages those worried about potential cancer symptoms to not wait, contact their doctor and get checked.
As mentioned earlier, this is a pivotal moment for the pharmaceutical industry. With renewed hope and trust in the sector, there is so much more we can achieve to deliver life-changing medicines. However, this cannot stop with pandemic. In years to come, when we look back on this period in our lives, we hope our legacy will go beyond the vaccine. We hope to be remembered for our work in pushing the boundaries of science in core areas, such as oncology, to empower people with the tools and information they need to access the right care during the pandemic and beyond.
At AstraZeneca, we knew we had to do something to limit the impact the pandemic is having on patient outcomes and get people back to the critical cancer care they need. Harnessing the power of collaboration, we partnered with Emirates Oncology Society and Friends of Cancer Patients to launch the ‘New Normal Same Cancer’ campaign in the UAE to amplify the emotive message that, while the world is navigating a new normal, cancer has not stopped.
AstraZeneca’s Sameh ElFangary, GCC Cluster President, and Peter Raouf, GCC Oncology Business Unit Director
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by Staff Writer
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Cancer diagnosis rates have fallen during Covid-19, and that’s not a good thing
AstraZeneca’s Sameh ElFangary, GCC Cluster President, and Peter Raouf, GCC Oncology Business Unit Director, offer their perspectives on how they are doing everything they can to support patients with cancer during the pandemic.
AstraZeneca's Sameh ElFangary, GCC Cluster President, and Peter Raouf, GCC Oncology Business Unit Director
In light of Covid-19, we have seen a major step change in the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry over the last 12 months. Our industry is being spoken about like never before. The value of partnerships, research and development, collaboration and vaccine development has taken centre stage, creating a pivotal moment for the industry, as we come together to fight the pandemic. There has never been a more monumental time for us to reset and build trust with the public in order to change even more lives for the better.
Living in the UAE, it has also been extraordinary to witness the government’s admirable handling of the pandemic first-hand, in addition to the astonishing vaccination rate. As devastating as this disease has been, hope has also shone through in the lasting lessons we have learnt; we can now see the true power of collaboration in accelerating scientific breakthroughs when people need it most.
However, one of the hardest lessons for us to bear is that Covid-19 has understandably diverted attention away from other key areas, especially when it comes to healthcare. This has been felt acutely across the sector with global experts warning of a parallel epidemic hitting those with cancer, mental health and chronic conditions the hardest. It is clear there is a need for a renewed emphasis in these forgotten areas of healthcare, particularly when it comes to the other ‘big C’ – Cancer. According to the Journal of Clinical Pathology, which looks at cancer diagnostic rates during 2020 in comparison to 2018-2019, there has been an approximate 40 percent drop in patients being diagnosed with cancer globally. This is an incredibly worrying statistic.
From what we are seeing across the globe, some patients with a cancer diagnosis are experiencing reduced access to treatment. We are also seeing people with possible cancer signs and symptoms not seeking help as quickly as they would have been prior to the global pandemic. According to studies, any interruption to the cancer care pathway can be detrimental to patient outcomes. Everyone is talking about Covid now, but the other ‘big C’ is a silent epidemic simmering away under the surface.
Cancer continues to be one of the biggest global health challenges in 2021 and there is an immediate need to support patients to return to care to seek the treatment they need in a timely manner. Through the support of our partners, the campaign encourages those worried about potential cancer symptoms to not wait, contact their doctor and get checked.
As mentioned earlier, this is a pivotal moment for the pharmaceutical industry. With renewed hope and trust in the sector, there is so much more we can achieve to deliver life-changing medicines. However, this cannot stop with pandemic. In years to come, when we look back on this period in our lives, we hope our legacy will go beyond the vaccine. We hope to be remembered for our work in pushing the boundaries of science in core areas, such as oncology, to empower people with the tools and information they need to access the right care during the pandemic and beyond.
At AstraZeneca, we knew we had to do something to limit the impact the pandemic is having on patient outcomes and get people back to the critical cancer care they need. Harnessing the power of collaboration, we partnered with Emirates Oncology Society and Friends of Cancer Patients to launch the ‘New Normal Same Cancer’ campaign in the UAE to amplify the emotive message that, while the world is navigating a new normal, cancer has not stopped.
AstraZeneca’s Sameh ElFangary, GCC Cluster President, and Peter Raouf, GCC Oncology Business Unit Director
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