Cancer Champions from USA, India and Malaysia Discuss Barriers to Access & Inequities in Breast Cancer Care: A dialogue organized by UE LifeSciences
UELifeSciences hosted a sponsored session at the upcoming World Cancer Congress 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 17-19, 2024. The event will provideed a platform for global stakeholders to address disparities in cancer care, with a focus on prevention, screening, and early detection innovations.
The World Cancer Congress, organized by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), brings together thought leaders, healthcare professionals, advocates, and innovators to discuss strategies and solutions for improving global cancer outcomes. This year's event will highlight the inequalities faced by women in accessing lifesaving cancer care and early detection services.
UE LifeSciences: Navigating Early Detection Disparities
The sponsored session, titled "Navigating Early Detection Disparities: A Hope for Women Everywhere", was held on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.This session explored the challenges in providing accessible,inclusive, and affordable early detection methods for women worldwide, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). UE LifeSciences was also be featured in UICC's "Rewriting Cancer" film series, which was be unveiled at the World Cancer Congress.
The film and panel highlighted stories of hope, innovation, and resilience, showcasing the global efforts to address disparities in cancer outcomes. The panelists discussed pathbreaking innovations like iBreastExam and Selfi, which are helping bridge the gap in early detection access for women globally. These technologies offer scalable, evidence-basedsolutions to overcome the challenges of providing breast cancerscreenings, especially in underserved populations.
Key Panelists and Discussions
Chaired by Dr. Ari D Brooks, MD MS Ed. of UE LifeSciences (United States), the session hosted a distinguished panel of experts who shared their insights and experiences, including Maimah Karmo, Founder and CEO of the Tigerlily Foundation (United States); Dr. Murallitharan Munisamy, Medical Director of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia; Dr. Arnold M. Baskies, MD, Past Chair of the American Cancer Society (United States); and Jyoti Patel, Preventative Oncology Nurse Manager at Tata Memorial Hospital (India). By uniting diverse global thought leaders, these experts underscored the broad benefits of early detection for women, healthcare providers, policymakers, and medical technology. During the session, the panelists stressed the urgent need for accessible and equitable cancer care, particularly for women in underserved communities.
Dr. Murallitharan Munisamy revealed that in Malaysia, 53% of women of screening age have never had a mammogram or clinical breast exam due to fear and logistical barriers. This highlights the urgent need for accessible solutions, a point further emphasized by Jyoti Patel, Nurse Manager at Tata Memorial Hospital, who shared, "Using the iBreastExam at our hospital has been transformative. We've seen firsthand how it can be just as effective as trained hands, making it a powerful tool for screening large populations and ensuring no woman goes unchecked." Adding to the conversation, Maimah Karmo of the Tigerlily Foundation called for a shift in how cancer is addressed, advocating for community-based outreach programs, greater representation of minority women in clinical trials, and early cancer education focused on body literacy.
This commitment to collaborative change was echoed by Mihir Shah, Co-Founder & CEO of UE LifeSciences. "We are proud to participate in the World Cancer Congress for the third time," Shah stated, "reaffirming our dedication to developing pioneering healthcare solutions that empower early detection and enhance global health outcomes." He continued, emphasizing the company's mission, "As the dialogue surrounding equitable cancer care progresses, UE LifeSciences extends an invitation to stakeholders across all sectors to collaborate in our mission to reshape the landscape of cancer detection and care, ultimately striving to improve cancer outcomes for women worldwide."
Why This Session Matters
Breast cancer is the most common cancer globally, and early detection remains the key to successful treatmentand survival. However, millions of women still face barriers in accessing affordable and effective screening tools. This session and the accompanying film series shine a spotlight on how innovative technologies like iBreastExam are making a real difference byproviding accessible solutions to underserved women, ensuring that noone is left behind in the fight against cancer.
About UE LifeSciences
UELifeSciences is a fast-growing, award-winning women’s health innovator. It is a leader in developing equitable and accessible early detection tools for women’s cancers. UE LifeSciences’ hallmark innovation, iBreastExam is enabling breast cancer earlydetection for over 2 million women across 10 countries. The company is soon to launch CervAIcal, a handheld mobile colposcope to screen for cervical abnormalities. The product has already obtained CDSCO approval in India and the European CE Mark. The company has entered distribution partnerships with Siemens Healthineers (USA), HLL Lifecare (India) and others. UE Lifesciences is the winner of several global accolades including the Global Women’s HealthTech award fromThe World Bank. With headquarters in the USA and subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Colombia and Chile, UE LifeSciences is a proud member of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
