WHO and St. Jude Launch Global Initiative to Provide Free Childhood Cancer Medicines to Poor Countries

The program aims to provide life-saving treatments to approximately 5,000 children across at least 30 hospitals in these countries within the year.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, has commenced the distribution of critically needed childhood cancer medicines through the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines. This landmark initiative has started delivering treatments in Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with future shipments scheduled for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia. The program aims to provide life-saving treatments to approximately 5,000 children across at least 30 hospitals in these countries within the year.

This Global Platform is the first of its kind, ensuring an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines at no cost to participating countries. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), childhood cancer survival rates are often below 30%, starkly contrasting with rates in high-income countries. Six additional countries have been formally invited to join the platform, highlighting the initiative’s rapid expansion.

The program aspires to become the largest global initiative for childhood cancer treatment, targeting 50 nations over the next 5 to 7 years. Ultimately, it seeks to provide medicines for around 120,000 children with cancer in LMICs, significantly reducing mortality rates and bridging the survival gap between different regions.

“For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This unique partnership between WHO and St. Jude is working to provide quality-assured cancer medicines to pediatric hospitals in low- and middle-income countries. WHO is proud to be part of this joint initiative with St. Jude, bringing health and hope to children around the world.”

Globally, an estimated 400,000 children develop cancer each year. The majority of these children live in resource-limited settings, where consistent access to affordable, high-quality cancer medicines is often out of reach. It is estimated that 70% of children in these settings die from cancer due to inadequate treatment, treatment disruptions, or substandard medicines.

“A child’s chances of surviving cancer are largely determined by where they are born, making this one of the starkest disparities in global healthcare,” said James R. Downing, MD, President and CEO of St. Jude. “St. Jude was founded on Danny Thomas’ dream that no child should die in the dawn of life. By developing this platform, we believe this dream can someday be achieved for children stricken by cancer, irrespective of where they live.”

Launched in 2021, the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines is a collaborative effort designed to ensure that children worldwide have access to lifesaving treatments. The platform unites governments, the pharmaceutical industry, and non-governmental organizations in a unique model focused on creating sustainable solutions for childhood cancer care.

The platform’s co-design approach addresses the broader needs of national stakeholders, emphasizing capacity building and long-term sustainability. It offers comprehensive end-to-end support, including consolidating global demand, shaping the market, assisting countries with medicine selection, and developing treatment standards.

This transformative model represents a significant advancement for the global health community, particularly in tackling noncommunicable diseases among children. To achieve its goals, St. Jude and WHO are collaborating with the UNICEF Supply Division and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Strategic Fund, ensuring a coordinated and efficient distribution of cancer medicines worldwide.