Making breast cancer treatable for all Filipinos

Breast cancer—and cancer in general—should no longer be a death sentence.

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This was the clear message from health leaders, patient advocates, and policymakers during the luncheon meeting on “Strengthening the Implementation of the Global Breast Cancer Strategy in the Philippines,” held last June 4 and co-organized by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the Embassy of Switzerland, in partnership with Roche (Philippines) Inc.

Céline Fürst, deputy head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland, highlighted the urgent findings from the recent Economist Impact Report that breast cancer is now the most common cancer among Filipino women, with mortality projected to rise over 40 percent by 2030.

“These numbers are more than statistics. They reflect the lives of mothers, sisters, daughters, and women who have health and future threatened by systemic gaps in detection, treatment, and access,” Fürst shared.

“What's more troubling is that so many women are being diagnosed late and too many are unable to finish their treatment due to high out-of-pocket costs. For a country where over 54 percent of healthcare spending is borne by patients, it is no surprise that 70 percent of breast cancer patients face catastrophic health expenditure.

In terms of drug reimbursement and access to advanced diagnostic and therapies for cancer patients, the Philippines is below average of Asia Pacific,” she added.