Novartis, ASCP, and ACS Partner for African Cancer Initiative

On Nov. 15, 2017, Novartis announced a partnership with the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) to improve access to cancer treatments and diagnostics in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania).

Under the terms of the partnership, Novartis will fund the technical work associated with the initiative. ASCP will take on the diagnostic aspect, expanding healthcare capacity for immuno-histochemistry (IHC) analysis in two hospital laboratories in Ethiopia and Tanzania under its IHC Capacity Building Program. ACS will support training of healthcare professionals in biopsy sample transport and chemotherapy application in all three nations under its ChemoSafe Program. According to Novartis, Sub-Saharan Africa is only the first focus of the partnership.

"Immunohistochemistry is required for oncologists to treat many cancers," said ASCP CEO Blair Holladay, PhD, in a company press release. “This partnership will allow us to provide high-quality, rapid, and accurate screening and diagnosis, taking in-country cancer care to the next level."

"A medicine is only as good as the system that delivers it," said Dr. Harald Nusser, head of Novartis Social Business. "Through our catalytic funding, we target projects that have an impact on healthcare providers and support patients through their journey. We hope this collaboration will provide earlier and more effective diagnosis to cancer patients, improving the likelihood for better health outcomes."

Source: Novartis