Global uptake of essential cancer medicines with and without complex genomic diagnostics: a retrospective observational study.

Lower-GDP countries have significantly reduced uptake of essential cancer medicines, especially those requiring complex genomic diagnostics, with the lowest access observed in low-income regions.

• Why it matters: Limited access to essential cancer medicines hampers effective treatment and exacerbates health disparities, particularly as advanced diagnostics become integral to precision oncology.
• What they did: The study analyzed 41 medicines added to the WHO EML from 2002 to 2023, categorizing them by diagnostic complexity, and assessed their uptake across 71 countries with varying income levels using IQVIA data.
• The result: Medicines requiring complex genomic diagnostics had 65% lower uptake than those without diagnostics, with lower-GDP countries showing the least access, indicating that inclusion in the EML alone may not ensure equitable availability.