Access to cancer genetic testing unequal worldwide: New Lancet Commission
A new Lancet Commission report highlights severe global inequalities in access to cancer genetic testing and precision oncology treatments. The study notes that 81% of biomarker-based trials occur in high-income countries, leaving low- and middle-income nations with limited access to life-saving diagnostics.
Why it matters
The findings underscore a growing 'paradox of success' where medical innovation is outpacing the ability of global health systems to provide equitable, affordable care.
Access to genomic testing and matched treatments remains profoundly unequal within and between countries, according to a new commission by The Lancet Oncology .
It has also identified substantial inequalities in cancer genetic testing research, reporting that only 2 per cent of biomarker-based cancer trials are conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), compared to almost 81 per cent in high-income countries.
An international team of authors of the commission has warned of a "paradox of success" -- the rapid expansion of precision oncology has increased cost and complexity faster than the benefits it delivers at a population level.
Global spending on cancer medicines is estimated to have risen by around 75% over the last five years, reaching approximately USD 252 billion in 2024, and is projected to reach USD 441 billion by 2029, they have said.
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