Cancer Patient Associations Call for Implementation of the National Cancer Law | Cancer | Breast cancer | League Against Cancer | Globocan | PERU

During 2020, about 35,000 Peruvians died of cancer and about 70,000 new cases (32,680 men vs 37,169 women) were detected, according to the latest report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Cancer, Globocan. In this context, patients, relatives and survivors join in a request to the Congress for it to be considered, within the prediction of the National Cancer that the Health Commission works, declare the care of the breast cancer and establish mechanisms for access to better medicines, updated treatments and the creation of a National Cancer Council.

“Being discharged from cancer should be a joy, but in many cases it can mean more time in the hospital if subsequent treatments are out of date or the medicines generate side effects”, Indyra Oropeza, president of the NGO with L for Leukemia and cancer survivor, points out, adding that receiving modern treatments and quality medicines is a right of every citizen.

Although the Health Commission in May raised important advances on the replacement text of the prediction of the National Cancer Law, associations such as Con L de Leukemia, Oncovida Peru, Lazo Rosado Peru and Reprolacc consider that the text of the project is not complete if not include differentiated mechanisms in the acquisition of goods and servicesThis would include access to quality and safe medications that do not further complicate the health of patients due to side effects.

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Associations also consider it necessary declare breast cancer of national concern, due to its high incidence and mortality in our country, as well as the urgency of establish the annual update of clinical practice guidelines and oncological drugs, In order to apply state-of-the-art treatments, since the current ones have not been modernized for more than 20 years compared to OECD countries. They also request to stipulate the creation of the National Cancer Council, as an advisory body of the Ministry of Health that brings together ESSALUD, INEN, scientific associations, representatives of medical schools, and patient associations to together monitor, supervise and formulate proposals regarding the advances of the National Cancer Policy.

According to Susana Wong, director of the NGO Lazo Rosado Peru, it is vital to incorporate all the proposals, since due to the pandemic, early detection has been interrupted and the delay in diagnoses increases mortality. “Many preventive examinations and surgical interventions have been postponed, this will affect the burden of care that cancer centers will face. This law can mitigate the effects of the pandemic in the fight against cancer and help the almost 70 thousand Peruvians who are diagnosed with cancer each year ”, remarked.

The National Cancer Law would be the first global regulatory framework around the treatment, diagnosis and care of this disease so it would help the almost 70 thousand Peruvians who each year are detected with this disease. Currently the prediction is in the Health Commission waiting to be approved to be debated in plenary session.

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It is worth mentioning that this Thursday 24 at 7pm, the National Alliance Against Cancer and Apoyo Consultoría, will present the updated results of the study on the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients in our country, in addition to analyzing the progress and challenges that faces the National Cancer Law. The presentation will be open to the public and transmitted from the following zoom link https://bit.ly/foro-cancer-pandemia and it will have representatives of the Legislative, Executive and INEN branches.

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