How patients are being put first in a new era of ‘common sense oncology’
Whilst some cancer treatments do offer significant benefits to patients, evidence suggests that numerous approved treatments do not support healthier and/or longer lives for those who undergo them. Although this is a complex, multifaceted issue, it’s thought that the movement away from predominantly publicly-funded clinical trials toward industry-funded trials has driven this trend.
The pursuit of profit does not always align with the goal of improving and/or lengthening patients’ lives. In recent years, commercial organizations have typically prioritized the development of novel cancer medicines over investigating new approaches to surgery, radiotherapy palliative care and prevention. As a result, commercial interests often take precedence over patient interests in driving cancer care and research.
A Comment published in The Lancet Oncology calls for a recalibrated approach to oncology care, where patient needs are put to the forefront and decisions to pursue research options are not influenced by an organization’s profit motive. The Comment establishes core guidelines – Common Sense Oncology – for the development of a new, patient-centered movement for oncology care.
The overall vision of the guidelines is to ensure that all patients have access to treatments that provide meaningful improvements to outcomes, regardless of their geographic location or healthcare system. To achieve this, patient outcomes must be at the center of every drug registration trial and regulatory decision and patients must receive clear communication regarding treatment options to allow them to make informed decisions.
Professor Christopher Booth, Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada), commented:
“While many cancer treatments make a real difference in the lives of our patients, there are growing concerns that some new treatments do not help patients live longer or feel better. Common Sense Oncology is a global initiative that prioritizes people over profits and promotes shared decision-making with patients. Our Vision is that patients have access to cancer treatments that provide meaningful improvements in outcomes that matter – irrespective of where they live.”
So, what does this mean for the bioanalytical field? Bioanalysis for oncology could be influenced by this agenda, changing the allocation of resources for drug development analysis, biomarker discovery, personalized medicine and diagnostics. These guidelines may encourage bioanalysts to be more attuned to the patient’s perspective and to actively participate in discussions that shape research priorities to ensure a patient-centric approach.
Source: Booth CM, Sengar M, Goodman A et al. Common sense oncology: outcomes that matter. Lancet Oncol. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00319-4 (2023) (Epub ahead of print)
