Tag: with-the-breakneck-speed-of-cancer-breakthroughs-oncologists-feel-left-behind-can-big-pharma-chime-in

All the scientific breakthroughs and billions of dollars spent on medical innovation don’t mean a thing unless patients have access to new treatments.

So when pharmaceutical companies develop cutting-edge oncology therapies that promise to dramatically alter the once-grim prospects of a cancer diagnosis, community oncology networks rely on drugmakers to build a bridge between innovation and clinical use.

A survey from Johnson & Johnson and The Harris Poll found that pharma companies are often failing in their effort to reach the doctors with their boots on the ground.

The Oncology Care Index survey revealed that 73% of the 500 U.S. healthcare professionals feel like there’s a gap between new drug approvals and what their patients actually receive. Three-quarters of the oncologists described the pace of new treatment development “overwhelming,” while seven out of 10 found navigating complex treatment guidelines a struggle.

The results suggested that drugmakers need to tune in to the broader picture and team up with providers across the country, said Biljana Naumovic, worldwide vice president of global commercial strategy at J&J’s pharma branch.

“We talk about many things that are coming from J&J and oncology on the innovation front, but what we don’t talk about is how you understand the challenges of our healthcare system more broadly, both in terms of the pace and speed of innovation combined with the connectivity and continuum of care for the patient,” Naumovic said.

A welcome burden

While more effective oncology treatments are welcomed by providers, dozens of drug approvals for cancer in 2024 has had them drinking from the firehose. The administrative effort alone has been a challenge, said Dr. Fred Divers, chief medical officer at the American Oncology Network.

“With practices scattered throughout 20 states, we realize the challenges of the pace of innovation and the complexity of discovery, as well as the application of that to benefit patients,” Divers said.

As head of a wide cancer provider network, Divers has a unique vantage point to understanding the struggles of community oncologists as they navigate a rapidly changing treatment landscape. Along with its data-focused spinoff company, Meaningful Insights Biotech Analytics, and Ascend Technologies, the AON has worked to curate patient data through natural-language processing and models, giving oncologists the option to be part of a huge collaboration effort that puts new biomarkers and treatments at their fingertips.

The AON has also pushed those capabilities into clinical trials, tracing the patient journey from diagnosis to therapy.

“Our partnership with the pharmaceutical industry is there to make sure patients have access to trials,” Divers said. “Through clinical decision support, we operationalize these innovations … and find the right patient for the right therapy at the right time.”

While Naumovic said J&J hasn’t secured further funding to implement more community outreach, the company hopes to provide some of the “connective tissue” that helps the healthcare system overcome the widening gap.

For Divers, the most important currency is knowledge. Oncologists on the front line need to know what’s out there.

“You have to have that knowledge at the point of care to impact change — that’s critical,” Divers said.

Busting roadblocks

Cancer care has come so far in such a small amount of time that complexity is now the enemy of progress. Patient administrative efforts accumulate and point-of-care physicians can’t keep up.

From J&J’s perspective, that’s not a red light on innovation.

“The pace is not going to slow down,” Naumovic said. “But to bring treatments and cures to some cancer types, we’re going to have to bring it to patients everywhere, and the best way to do that is through community oncology.”

Collaboration will remain the key for organizations like the AON, because a bridge isn’t built from just one shore.

“Twenty years ago, four cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy was all that was out there to help lung cancer patients — 20 years later, that landscape has changed, and we’ve made enormous strides toward precision and personalized medicine,” Divers said. “The challenge we meet head-on is operationalizing these insights as the complexity grows to benefit patients at a level they deserve.”

In the rapidly evolving world of oncology, scientific breakthroughs are unveiling new hope for cancer patients worldwide. As pharmaceutical companies pour billions into cutting-edge research and develop revolutionary therapies, the true measure of success lies in patients’ ability to access these treatments. However, a recent survey uncovers a significant disconnect between drug approval and patient access, raising concerns about how innovative therapies move from the lab bench to the bedside.

The Oncology Care Index, a collaborative survey conducted by Johnson & Johnson and The Harris Poll, provides a revealing snapshot of this gap. It found that a staggering 73% of healthcare professionals on the front lines of cancer care feel there’s a missing link between new drug approvals and what their patients actually receive. Oncology specialists describe the flood of new treatment options with a mixture of excitement and exhaustion—three-quarters report feeling overwhelmed by the pace of innovation, while seven out of 10 face challenges navigating the increasingly complex treatment guidelines. This scenario paints a picture of dedicated doctors juggling an array of treatments amid mounting administrative hurdles, striving to offer patients the best care possible despite systemic barriers.

Dr. Fred Divers, Chief Medical Officer at the American Oncology Network, underscores the critical importance of knowledge at the point of care. He emphasizes that merely creating new drugs is not enough; healthcare providers must be equipped to understand and apply these therapies promptly and effectively. “You have to have that knowledge at the point of care to impact change — that’s critical,” Divers notes. This sentiment captures the reality of much of community oncology—providers scattered across diverse geographies, trying to keep pace with a fire hose of innovation that’s both promising and daunting. It’s not just about creating treatments but about bridging communication gaps and ensuring every oncologist, nurse, and pharmacist understands how to put them to use.

Biljana Naumovic, the worldwide vice president of global commercial strategy at J&J’s pharma branch, echoes this need for a broader perspective. She highlights that innovation alone is not the full story; understanding the complexities of the healthcare system and weaving together the continuum of care for patients is equally vital. The pharma industry must collaborate more closely with providers nationwide if cancer care is to keep up with the dizzying rate of discovery. This means considering the healthcare ecosystem holistically—appreciating the challenges of speed, connectivity, and patient-centered care. In other words, innovative drugs represent incredible potential, but without a roadmap and strong partnerships, many patients risk missing out on transformative treatments.

Interestingly, while the volume of new drug approvals has certainly increased and brought about a "welcome burden," it comes with trade-offs. Administrative and logistical challenges can overwhelm providers, detracting from their capacity to deliver timely care. Practices managed by organizations like the American Oncology Network, which stretches across 20 states, face the dual pressures of harnessing breakthrough therapies and managing practical realities in diverse clinical settings. Yet, this flood of approvals also reflects a historic moment in oncology—a time when cancer is no longer a singular dread but a battle with evolving weapons and strategies. As researchers push the envelope, the onus now rests on drugmakers, healthcare systems, and practitioners to connect the dots and turn cures from promise into reality.

Cancer treatment has indeed come a long way from the grim prognosis of decades past. From the first chemotherapy agents discovered in the mid-20th century to today’s precision medicine tailored to genetic mutations, oncology stands at a thrilling crossroads. The challenge lies not in what is possible in the lab, but in ensuring that those possibilities translate into patient outcomes across complex care networks. This survey and the experts’ voices remind us that innovation is a journey, not a destination, and that coordination, education, and compassionate systems matter just as much as the science itself. After all, in the fight against cancer, the strongest weapon is knowledge that reaches the hands of those who need it most.

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