#USA #Washington #Breast Cancer #Susan G. Komen #Policy Reform

Uniting Forces for Breast Cancer Care

In a groundbreaking initiative, Susan G. Komen, the leading breast cancer organization in the world, has unveiled the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy. This coalition, announced on March 12, 2025, aims to bring together stakeholders to address the critical issues surrounding accessibility, affordability, and overall outcomes in breast cancer care.

Molly Guthrie, the vice president of policy and advocacy for Susan G. Komen, highlighted the significant barriers many individuals encounter when seeking the necessary care. She pointed out that high costs related to breast imaging and restricted access to essential treatments are among the many challenges faced by the breast cancer community. Furthermore, patients living with stage 4 breast cancer are often not properly represented in existing data, creating additional obstacles.

With a clear mission in mind, the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy seeks to unite patients, advocates, researchers, and healthcare professionals in a concerted effort to drive policy reform. One of their key initiatives includes advocating for the federal Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act, which is designed to eliminate financial barriers by mandating that private health plans cover the costs of diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging.

As part of their efforts, the Alliance will prioritize accurately mapping the experiences of those with metastatic, or stage 4, breast cancer. By collaborating with regulatory and scientific agencies to enhance data collection, the coalition aims to ensure that policymakers are equipped with vital information needed to bolster treatment accessibility, allocate resources effectively, and improve health outcomes for individuals diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

Reshema Kemps-Polanco, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Novartis US, and an active member of the steering committee for the Alliance, emphasized the historical progress in breast cancer research but acknowledged that many barriers still prevent timely access to quality care. The powerful collaboration aims to bring change that transcends just medical advancements, tackling the larger issues that patients and families face.

Ricki Fairley, CEO of TOUCH (the Black Breast Cancer Alliance), who also serves on the steering committee, expressed excitement about participating in this transformative coalition. She underscored the collective efforts of health leaders working together to bring about proactive changes in policy, which can enhance breast cancer research, remove barriers to quality screening and treatment, and ultimately reshape patient outcomes for the better.

The urgency for patient-centric, evidence-based policy solutions has reached a new high. Alarmingly, a woman in the U.S. receives a breast cancer diagnosis approximately every two minutes, and a life is lost to the disease every 12 minutes. Alarmingly, a significant portion of these deaths could be avoided through timely access to affordable, high-quality care, underscoring the need for increased governmental actions.

The Alliance's members will collaborate on setting policy priorities, driving advocacy efforts, and creating educational materials. They plan to conduct impactful virtual and in-person events aimed at empowering stakeholders and enhancing the visibility of breast cancer issues at the national level.

For more information on the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy and its mission dedicated to transforming breast cancer care through innovative policy solutions, visit their dedicated webpage. By fostering unity among various stakeholders, this initiative signifies a substantial step forward to eliminate the barriers preventing optimal breast cancer care, ensuring every patient can access the treatments and support they require.