Sandoz, a division of the Novartis Group, has announced the expansion of a pilot project with leading charity World Child Cancer, aimed at improving access to treatment and optimizing survival outcomes for children suffering from cancer in four developing countries.
Jon Rosser, Chief Executive of World Child Cancer, said: “It is just unacceptable that children’s odds of surviving cancer depend so much on geography. In developed countries, 80 percent now survive, but in developing countries it’s still only about 10 percent. World Child Cancer is changing this – in our programs we can raise that survival rate to around 60 percent.”
He added: “We are very excited at this growing partnership with Sandoz, which will enable us to prevent so many children dying without even a diagnosis and without effective pain relief. We believe that all children, regardless of where they live, deserve better.”
The agreement builds on an existing partnership with World Child Cancer in the Philippines, where Sandoz is funding staff training needs and helping children to access diagnosis and subsequent treatment. It expands the partnership to cover three additional countries across three continents: Ghana, Mexico and Myanmar.
These particular projects were chosen because of the gravity of the situation in the four regions concerned: across all four, an estimated 6000 children develop cancer each year, but only approximately 20 percent even receive a diagnosis, let alone effective treatment.
Peter Stenico, Sandoz Head of Oncology, said: “These projects will take simple, pragmatic measures to attack cancer where it is most vulnerable: among children suffering from forms of cancer that are often absolutely treatable. Together with World Child Cancer, we believe we can make a real difference by enhancing the standard of care for children in these countries and, ultimately, improving childhood cancer survival rates.”
The expanded partnership highlights Sandoz’s commitment to work together with key stakeholders worldwide to expand access to healthcare. As a targeted philanthropy project, the work with World Child Cancer complements the broader Novartis Corporate Responsibility efforts across a number of lower-income countries.
Sandoz is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars.
