Addressing One of the World’s Most Significant Inequities
The disparity in childhood cancer outcomes is one of the world’s most significant inequities.
Over 80% of children with cancer in high-income countries are cured, but this number drops to less
than 30% in LMICs.1 This gap isn’t caused by the lack of a potential cure, but by the unequal access
to the resources, treatments, and care that can make all the difference.
A Unified Effort for Sustainable Impact
The ACT for Children initiative is a unique collaboration that combines access to innovative, curative childhood cancer medicines with high-quality clinical care and patient support. In its initial six months,
the initiative implemented key care improvement strategies and delivered $2.3 million worth of high-quality, innovative pediatric oncology medicines to childhood cancer centres in Asia and Central America.2 This effort has significantly reduced financial barriers and ensured access to life-saving treatments for children in low- and middle-income countries.
Drivers of Disparities
Healthcare providers at childhood cancer centres in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often open their medicine cabinets to find them empty. This lack of access to essential medicines drives a cascade of deficiencies in quality medical care, including limited diagnostic capabilities, substandard treatments, inadequate patient support, insufficient education and training, and a scarcity of data to guide policy and investment. Furthermore, childhood cancer is a rare disease and requires specialized medical care,
but such specialized centres are rarely found in low- and middle-income settings–with childhood cancer being managed in general wards or not at all. These issues exacerbate the systemic challenges that have persisted for years in these regions.
Turning Solutions into Action
Last February, Servier and a dedicated group of partners launched the Access Cancer Treatment (ACT) for Children initiative, a pragmatic, hospital-focused approach, working to ensure that every child diagnosed with cancer has the support and access they need to overcome barriers
to treatment and achieve the best possible outcome. We’re proud to join forces with Childhood Cancer International, IDA Foundation, International Society for Paediatric Oncology–SIOP, Resonance, and World Child Cancer USA to turn our vision of a world without disparities
in childhood cancer care into reality. We are also operating in close partnership with the Union
for International Cancer Control (UICC)-led Access to Oncology Medicines (ATOM) Coalition.
Key Milestones Achieved
Medicine Delivery and Logistics: With the help of the UICC-led ATOM Coalition, IDA Foundation, CCI, and local patient organizations, Servier has provided $2.3 million worth of essential medicines at no cost to childhood cancer centres.3 IDA Foundation leveraged its 50 years of supply chain expertise to ensure the safe delivery of these medicines, managing logistics and supporting import processes for smooth distribution.
Quality Improvement Initiatives: Resonance, a global contract research organization specializing in pediatric oncology,
is sponsoring and implementing registries and quality improvement initiatives. This includes providing data management systems to monitor and track improvements
in child cancer outcomes.
Education and Patient Support Programs: SIOP and World Child Cancer launched specialized hands-on education and patient support programs aimed at improving diagnosis and treatment outcomes, and empowering families. World Child Cancer also launched the global awareness and fundraising campaign, #CancelChildCancer.
Essential Support Services: CCI and its members provide essential support and care services—such as accommodation, nutrition, psychosocial counselling, and transport—to ensure that patients and their families can access and adhere to treatment. CCI also advocates globally for better resources, policies, and practises
for childhood cancer treatment and care.
Looking Ahead: Expanding and Strengthening Efforts
The partners of the ACT for Children initiative have ambitious plans to expand their efforts to additional childhood cancer centres in the coming year. Key focus areas include:
Advocating for Stricter Regulations: Ensuring secure supply chains to combat counterfeit and substandard medicines.
Leveraging Expertise: Utilizing IDA Foundation’s advanced tools
to ensure sustainable and efficient access
to innovative treatments.
Expanding Education Programs: Enhancing education
for healthcare providers in alignment with WHO-endorsed
best practises.
Scaling Up Data Management Systems: Improving clinical care across multiple regions.
Advancing Family Support Programs: CCI and World Child Cancer will focus on developing nutrition programs in countries where such support is lacking.
The ACT for Children initiative exemplifies the power of collaboration in transforming childhood cancer care in LMICs. By combining global resources and local expertise, the initiative is laying the foundation
for long-term, sustainable impact. Servier and its partners invite pharmaceutical companies and others
to join this partnership, uniting communities to give children with cancer the greatest chance for survival.
Dr. Arnaud Lallouette, Executive Vice President, Global Medical & Patient Affairs, Servier, emphasizes, “Our alignment with the WHO CureAll Initiative underscores Servier’s commitment to a unified global strategy to serve patients living with cancer.
This collaboration demonstrates that transformative change is possible when global resources and local expertise come together.”
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children battling cancer in low- and middle-income countries, ensuring they receive the quality care and support they deserve. This Blood Cancer Month,
let us unite in our mission to provide hope and a brighter future for every child fighting cancer.
To learn more about the ACT for Children initiative and how you can support our efforts to bridge the gap in childhood cancer care, please visit https://act-4-children.org/
1. ACT For Children, https://act-4-children.org/the-initiative/, extracted on June 23rd, 2025
2. Servier Canada; https://servier.com/en/newsroom/weareservier/act-for-childrena-global-initiative-to-tackle-inequities-in-pediatric-cancer/;June 23rd, 2025
3. International Society of Paediatric Oncology; https://siop-online.org/news/tackling-inequities-in-childhood-cancer-through-unique-global collaboration/#:~:text=Tackling%20Inequities%20in%20Childhood%20Cancer%20Through%20Unique,the%20huge%20inequities%20in%20pediatric%20cancer%20care on June 23rd, 2025.
