WISH presents cancer research to Australian policymakers

Doha, Qatar, 17 September 2015

Photo: Source: Pravda.Ru archive

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), a global initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), presented its research on affordable cancer care to Australian members of parliament (MPs) in Canberra last week.

The WISH report, entitled 'Delivering Affordable Cancer Care: A Value Challenge to Health Systems', aims to bring to the forefront best healthcare practices while inspiring innovation and discussion, remaining closely aligned to the vision and mission of QF to unlock human potential and serve to underscore the state of Qatar's pioneering role as an emerging centre for healthcare innovation.

Professor Robert J S Thomas, Academic Chair of the WISH research report and Chief Cancer Advisor to the, Victorian Department of Health , led last week's discussions on the report with Australian lawmakers. During the forum, MPs heard that despite outstanding progress made in cancer research and advances in patient treatment, the disease is still one of the top three areas of health expenditure, and that cancer care is too expensive for most patients and nearly all governments.

The report predicts that the burden of cancer will intensify with new cancer diagnoses expected to increase by around 16-32 per cent over the next 10 years. It further asserts that from 2008 to 2030 cancer cases would rise by 65 per cent in high-income countries, 80 per cent in middle-income countries and 100 per cent in the world's poorest countries.

The Australian policymakers were informed of the report's policies to counteract excess spending and a number of innovative projects from around the world were raised to demonstrate how efficiencies could be driven and treatments improved for patients. The WISH research report was shared with 100 memebrs of parliament as a result of Monday's session.

QF's health policy research once again served to inform the decisions of policymakers globally.Australia is set to implement some of the key changes recommended in the research including the 'Data Analysis of Optimum Care Pathways', a key recommendation of the WISH report.

WISH CEO Egbert Schillings commented: "WISH is delighted to work with Forum Chair Prof. Thomas to carry the message of the report with clarity and conviction to the highest levels of policy leadership around the globe."

"Pathway analysis along the entire patient journey in cancer, from prevention, screening, and diagnosis, to treatment and follow-up, will provide real impetus to innovative cost and quality management, for the benefit of the patient population and the system as a whole."

The report was published by the WISH Cancer Research Forum, chaired by Professor Thomas, at the second WISH summit, which took place in February this year in Qatar. The summit brought together more than 1,200 healthcare leaders and policymakers from 93 countries.

WISH's continued efforts form part of its on-going mission to support Qatar's National Vision 2030 of transforming from a carbon-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. WISH also aims to present innovative research and practices to overcome the world's most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire world governments to take action.

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), founded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson.

The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of on-going initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research and industry.

Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the world's most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action.

To stay up-to-date with WISH's activities, visit our website: http://www.wish.org.qa/