Health equity means that all people have the opportunity to fulfill their health potential without barriers imposed by their social position or other social circumstances.
Social Determinants of Health (SDoH): Understanding health beyond genetics and lifestyle.
These social circumstances are the so-called social determinants of health (SDoH.) They are non-medical factors, such as economic and social conditions, that strongly impact the health of individuals and clusters of the society. Where and how people are born, raised, grow up, and work during their trajectory of life affects their overall health. That is why we see differences in health status within and between countries. A lower socioeconomic position is directly proportional to the decline in health conditions.
Income and social protection, education, unemployment, job insecurity, working life conditions, food and housing insecurity, basic amenities, environment, early childhood development, social inclusion and non-discrimination, structural conflict, and access to affordable health services of decent quality are all examples of SDoH.
Health inequities. Whose responsibility is it?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare stakeholders actively sought innovative ways to understand and address SDoH to improve health equity. From health systems and payers to pharmaceutical manufacturers, they were all engaged.
We expect the major shift in the pharma industry ethos from volume‐based to value‐based to address and overcome social factors. Providing patients with more personalized individually-tailored therapeutic options will improve clinical and financial outcomes.
How the pharma industry can address SDoH.
We identify the following areas where the pharma industry can potentially play a role in addressing SDoH: ensuring continued healthcare access and incorporating a dimension of “value” to health systems. Initiatives to promote accurate diagnosis, increase medical knowledge and awareness through disease education will prove critical. The initiatives to promote accurate diagnosis and increase medical knowledge and awareness through disease education are already critical. Bringing parity in clinical trial recruitment through Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs) and employment of Digital health technologies contribute to achieving Health Equity. Novel and alternative modes of engagement with all stakeholders, such as HCPs, patient advisory groups, caregivers, and patients, will be the key to successfully adopting these innovative initiatives.
Pharma companies start initiatives either on their own or they collaborate in projects to improve health equity for all. Below, among others we focus on how the two major players, Roche and Pfizer, work towards supporting patients and eliminating health disparities.
Roche launched NAVIFY in December 2017
The Roche-led initiative NAVIFY Decision Support is a fully integrated portfolio of scalable, secure workflow solutions and apps designed to support cancer care teams with analytics and actionable insights. Launched in 2017, with its first commercial product NAVIFY Tumor Board, the portfolio has since then constantly been upgraded to include streamlined workflow, increased collaboration, and standardized processes deliver personalized healthcare and improve patients’ lives.
Pfizer collaborates with Take Action for Health
Pfizer actively participates in Take Action for Health, a collaboration of organizations developing programs to eliminate health disparities in African American/Black communities. The website provides sources and screening tools in the following therapy areas: cancer, diabetes, heart, and emotional health.
Genentech, a Roche group member embracing diversity and inclusion.
Genentech, joined the SisterPact project, an awareness campaign aiming to reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes in African-American women. The campaign encourages African-American women to “make a pact” with a beloved one and commit to talking to their doctor about getting regular mammograms.
More pharma initiatives towards Health Equity
Major players like Janssen, Novartis, and Roche are actively exploring the potential of Decentralized Trials (DCTs), bringing studies directly to patients to investigate prospective therapeutic interventions and generate large biopsy databases – identifying driver mutations, predictive biomarkers, etc. These initiatives lead to increasing trial participation and expediting the R&D timeline. Notably, more and more pharma companies complement their traditional pipeline portfolio with novel digital tools by forming active alliances and partnerships with pure-play digital health companies.
Will pharma contribute to a healthier world?
As we move forward, we expect to see more major pharma companies differentiate their offerings and form collaborations with patients, providers, and payers, initiating to address SDoH. Primarily beginning with research and clinical trials and continuing throughout the patient journey, they aspire to provide distinct value for all its stakeholders.
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Sources
Improving Health Equity Across the Pharmaceutical Industry (pharmanewsintel.com)