Will Cancer Drugs Ever Be As Affordable As Retrovirals in Low and Middle Income Countries?

By ASHLEY ANDREOU In 2014, the majority of international health aid was dedicated to HIV. So, one might reasonably assume that this is the largest health problem facing the world. Yet, HIV only constitutes 4% of the global burden of disease. In 2014, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) made up 50% of the entire disease burden, but only received 2% of all global health funds. The disease burden of NCDs is fast outpacing that of infectious diseases. Despite this, the proportion of global health financing dedicated to combatting NCDs has remained constant over the past 15 years at 1 to 2%. Currently, 32.6 million individuals are living with cancer (diagnosed in the last five years). In 1970, 15% of new cases were in low- and middle-income countries. In 2008, 56% were in low- and middle-income countries. By 2030, this proportion is expected to be 70%. So, not only is the burden of NCDs rising globally, but it is also beginning to disproportionately affect countries with the least resources to deal with them. But, if NCDs have been steadily increasing in low- and middle-income countries, why has global action not followed suit? The HIV epidemic reversed the reduction of infectious disease deaths in children and young adults and, as a result, stunted the epidemiological and demographic transition, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, preventing HIV and other major infectious diseases became the focus of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set in 2000. Likewise, in 200...
Source: The Health Care Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: OP-ED Biologic generics Cancer Pharmaceuitcals Retrovirals Source Type: blogs