Life-Years Saved Since 1990
Through medical innovation, we can add years to lives of people with cancer. Join us in an accelerated approach to developing new cancer medications
Increase the number of life-years saved by making small adjustments in funding or drug development time.
Play with the numbers on the clock »
See how we've calculated the impact of medical innovation on extending peoples lives.
Look at the figures behind the clock »
Economic Value Since 1990
Over the past 50 years, medical innovation has been the source of more than 1/2 of all economic growth
Stimulate national economic growth by making small adjustments in investment or drug develoment time.
Create new economic value »
Learn how economists calculate the value of cancer patients living longer, adding trillions to our GDP.
See what makes the clock tick »Medical Innovation
There is no greater source for living longer and more prosperous lives. In the 21st century, medical innovation will dramatically improve health outcomes, reduce the cost of health care, and stimulate global economic growth, eventually leading us to A World Free From Cancer.
How Can We Save And
Enhance More Lives?
Greater Investment. Better Medicine. Improved Access.
What medicine drove the decline in death from infectious diseases like tuberculosis and pneumonia?
Polio vaccine
Insulin
Penicillin
Viagra
Wrong. Not exactly. Penicillin was discovered in 1928 and was developed for use as a drug in time to treat battle wounds in World War II.
Find out why »Right. Discovered in 1928, penicillin was developed for use as a drug in time to treat battle wounds in World War II.
Explore the Details »
Faster Clinical Trials
If drugs that were created 10 years ago are just making an impact now, imagine what would happen if today's life-saving drug discoveries made it to market in just a few years...
For which category do medicines typically take the longest time to get developed and approved?
Heart disease
Cancer
HIV
Pain
Wrong. Good guess. Cancer medication typically take nearly nine years to get developed and approved.
Find out why »Correct. Cancer medicines take on average about 8.8 years to get developed and approved, more than any other type of treatment.
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Faster FDA Approvals
We are using 20th-century approaches to evaluate 21st-century medicine. We must change how we develop and approve life-saving innovations.
In 2002, there were 46 accelerated approvals for new cancer medicines. How many have there been since 2007?
75
> 100
46
< 10
Wrong. Nice try, but too high. We wish there were this many accelerated approvals.
Find out why »Unfortunately, you are correct. The time has come to reverse this trend.
Explore the Details »
Faster Treatment Access
The ability to take a genetic "fingerprint" of our tumors can enable patients to get matched to a treatment in hours or days, not months or years; so why don't patients have quicker access?
What percentage of health-care spending goes to targeted cancer therapies?
10%
50%
1%
5%
Wrong. Think less. Only 1%! Since 1990, this small investment in innovative treatments has led to 43 million life-years saved.
Find out why »You're right. In 2011, targeted cancer therapies were up to 1.6% of all health-care spending.
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Greater Investment
During the past 50 years, investment in new medicines has been the driving force for reducing deaths from heart disease, HIV, and cancer. With proper investment, we can have A World Free From Cancer within the next 50 years.
DNA Sequencing
DNA is what our genes are made of. Genes contain the operating manual for producing new cells. When there are typographical errors in those instructions, they can tell cells to produce tumors instead of healthy tissue. Scientists have discovered many of these errors by sequencing or decoding our DNA.
Biomarker- and
Response-Guided Treatment
Biomarkers are measures of the kinds of genetic or DNA mutations we have in our cells and tumors. If we can identify those differences, we can match them to medicines that work best against tumors.
Diagnostic Precision
We can analyze blood tests and samples of tumor tissue to find out what mutations are causing cancer cells to grow. With that information, we can give people the optimal treatment for their mutations and avoid using therapies that don't work.
Individualized Reimbursement
Instead of paying for one-size-fits-all cancer treatments that may or may not work, health insurers can just pay for the treatments that work best. This saves time, money, and lives.
Personalized Medicine
Personalized medicine is the use of information about the genetic, biological, and lifestyle factors to identify our disease triggers and to individualize the development and use of treatments. It's referred to as a 4P medicine: predictive, preventive, personalized, AND participatory.
Value of Innovation
A World Free From Cancer
Cancer survival is increasing as new cancer therapies are introduced, and personalized treatment is the key to more progress. If we change the way we develop and use cancer medicines to focus on individuals we can hasten the pace of progress, creating A World Free From Cancer by 2050.
A World Free From Cancer By 2050: A Call To Action
Is it possible to live in A World Free From Cancer by 2050? New medicines have already yielded an extra 43 million
life-years for cancer patients. With targeted therapy, we have the knowledge. And now, with a real commitment to change, we have clear initiatives to make it a reality.
Modern cancer therapeutics saved $350-billion
Center for medicine in the public interest says economic analysis shows modern cancer therapeutics saved $350-billion in hospitalization costs since 1990.
Find out how »
From Eugene to Eugenics: Oregon's New Cost-Cutting Strategy is to Deny Care to Cancer Patients
Under the Affordable Care Act, many innovative cancer therapies are unavailable or even denied to the patients who need them most. While many Americans will receive better health coverage at a lower cost, in states like Oregon, most cancer patients will wind up paying thousands of dollars each month for less coverage.
Find out why »
Are Doctors Now Rationing Cancer Care?
As featured in a recent article in New York Magazine, some doctors are refusing to use new, life-extending cancer therapies due to high launch prices. When all of the
long term numbers are considered, from major increases in cancer survivors and extended life years to spending reductions on hospitals and doctors, you can see how this view is short sighted.
Cancer Care May Be Hazardous To Your Health. Four Warning Signs:
Cancer therapies have made a great deal of progress in recent years, but access to this progress is at risk with health care reform. Cancer patients, doctors, and drugs are all being negatively impacted in terms of facilitating the most effective treatments to those who need it most.
Examine the warning signs »
Reducing The Real Cost of Medical Innovation
While the cost of new drug development can reportedly range from $1 billion to as high as $13 billion, ideas are being proposed to significantly cut these costs. Hear the perspective of former Eli Lilly Senior VP of Research, Steve Paul, regarding drug pipeline gaps and a more streamlined, affordable approach to the cycle time of the process.
Assess all the costs »
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