A call for greater equity to reverse the rising trend of breast cancer mortality

The burden of breast cancer is known by far too many. And, sadly, it’s on the rise in many parts of the world. As a physician and patient advocate, I have been on the front lines, trying to prevent it, control it and contain it. 

And for me, it is also personal. 

I was diagnosed at age 34, a month after my wedding. It was unbelievably surreal, devastating and life-altering. Fortunately, my story ends well, and I have the good fortune to be alive to share it with you 23 years later. 

But, sadly, this isn’t the story for all, and that is why I stand in solidarity with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in its efforts to decrease breast cancer incidence and also bring greater equity to breast cancer treatment and outcomes.

Thanks to medical breakthroughs, doctors now have multiple treatments for breast cancer from which to choose. However, the fact remains that too many people living with breast cancer still face barriers to timely and equitable prevention, screening and care. And certainly, everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from scientific advancements, not just a select few. 

As a founding partner of UICC's new Breast Cancer programme, Pfizer is proud to work with UICC to contribute to initiatives dedicated to the earlier diagnosis of breast cancer and increased access to timely and quality treatment. This programme will provide new and much-needed resources, train more healthcare professionals, create projects to address quality and access of care, and assemble thousands of reputable cancer organisations worldwide to help the efforts. We recognise that this work cannot be done alone. We also know that successful partnerships are essential to overcome barriers to early detection and access to treatment for people living with breast cancer in various parts of the world. 

At Pfizer, we are guided by patients, who are at the centre of everything we do. Patients are the reason we come to work every day and the reason we will continue to work in collaboration with the community to address disparities in cancer treatments and outcomes. With UICC and its new Breast Cancer programme, together, we move one step closer to our collective goal of finding the cures for this deadly disease and eliminating it once and for all, on behalf of the many people living with breast cancer and those who love them.