Investing in Cancer Care and Control

Felicia Marie Knaul, Hector Arreola-Ornelas, Rifat Atun, Oscar Mendez, Ramiro Guerrero, Marcella Alsan, Janice Seinfeld

Closing the Cancer Divide: An Equity Imperative, 2012: 71-92.

Key messages:

Chronic disease is a leading global economic risk. Planning for chronic illness prevention and management must be integrated into health and economic development agendas.
Tobacco’s estimated $US 500 billion drain - mainly from tobacco-related illness and treatment costs - exceeds the total expenditure on health of all low and middle income countries (LMICs).
Between one-third and one-half of cancer deaths can be avoided with prevention, early detection and treatment - between 2.4 and 3.7 million avoidable deaths each year, 80% of which are in LMICs.
The total annual economic cost of cancer was approximately $1.16 trillion in 2010 - the equivalent of more than 2% of global GDP. Even this impressively high figure is a lower bound as it does not include the substantial longer-term costs to families and care givers.
Investing strategically in cancer care and control (CCC) more than pays for itself and is likely to even ‘payoff’. A reasonable estimate shows that the world could have saved between $US 100 and $US 200 billion in 2010 by investing in cancer control and care in ways that prevent disease and cover effective treatment. Potential savings are much higher - over $US 500 billion and up to almost $US 1 trillion - taking into account the individual perception of the value of lost life and human suffering.
Cost of prevention and treatment of cancer will likely decline over time. The ability to prevent, detect, and treat many cancers has improved over time, and many of these advances have led to reductions in cost. Harnessing markets and increasing access can also bring down prices.
Investments that generate system-wide improvements benefit cancer, but also accrue gains for other diseases, thereby achieving greater health outcomes per capita investment. This is part of diagonal approach to planning.
The “economics of hope” foresees a future when drugs and other forms of treatment for cancer will become more accessible to side population groups in LMICs.

paper

Investing in Cancer Care and Control

Felicia Marie Knaul, Hector Arreola-Ornelas, Rifat Atun, Oscar Mendez, Ramiro Guerrero, Marcella Alsan, Janice Seinfeld

Key messages:

Chronic disease is a leading global economic risk. Planning for chronic illness prevention and management must be integrated into health and economic development agendas.

Tobacco’s estimated $US 500 billion drain - mainly from tobacco-related illness and treatment costs - exceeds the total expenditure on health of all low and middle income countries (LMICs).

Between one-third and one-half of cancer deaths can be avoided with prevention, early detection and treatment - between 2.4 and 3.7 million avoidable deaths each year, 80% of which are in LMICs.

The total annual economic cost of cancer was approximately $1.16 trillion in 2010 - the equivalent of more than 2% of global GDP. Even this impressively high figure is a lower bound as it does not include the substantial longer-term costs to families and care givers.

Cost of prevention and treatment of cancer will likely decline over time. The ability to prevent, detect, and treat many cancers has improved over time, and many of these advances have led to reductions in cost. Harnessing markets and increasing access can also bring down prices.

Investments that generate system-wide improvements benefit cancer, but also accrue gains for other diseases, thereby achieving greater health outcomes per capita investment. This is part of diagonal approach to planning.

The “economics of hope” foresees a future when drugs and other forms of treatment for cancer will become more accessible to side population groups in LMICs.