ABBOTT MARKS WORLD CANCER DAY

Advancing cancer care by expanding access to science‑based solutions

This World Cancer Day, Abbott honors every unique cancer story and the hope that grows when everyone can reach the care they need.

Cancer remains one of the defining health challenges of our time

Cancer affects millions of people every year and continues to place a growing burden on families, healthcare systems and societies¹. While scientific progress has transformed cancer care in recent decades², access to timely diagnosis and effective treatment remains uneven, particularly in emerging countries, which account for over half of new patients and cancer deaths worldwide³.

In emerging countries, 11.4M people are diagnosed with cancer each year, corresponding to nearly 60% of all new cancer cases each year⁴.

At Abbott, we recognize cancer as a pressing global health challenge and are committed to helping expand access to meaningful, science‑based healthcare solutions. Earlier diagnosis⁵ and innovative treatment^6,7, including biologics for hard-to-treat cancers, are improving the outlook for many people struggling with cancer, giving families more time together.

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A comprehensive approach to oncology

Abbott’s approach to oncology is grounded in addressing real‑world needs across the cancer continuum.

Be support people in living healthier as they battle with cancer by :

• Supporting earlier and more accurate diagnosis through advanced diagnostic technologies
• Expanding access to high‑quality medicines in emerging markets, where our medicines business is focused
• Helping healthcare systems adopt advanced therapies by addressing barriers such as affordability, education and supply reliability
• Supporting people beyond treatment through nutritional and care solutions tailored to the needs of patients living with cancer

By looking at cancer care holistically, we aim to contribute to better outcomes for more people, wherever they live.

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Expanding access to advanced cancer treatments

Many of today’s advances in oncology are built on biologic medicines — therapies that have reshaped how cancer is treated⁷. Yet access to these treatments remains limited in large parts of the world⁸.

Abbott works to broaden access to advanced cancer therapies by bringing both established and next‑generation treatment options to emerging countries. This includes supporting the responsible adoption of high‑quality biologics and biosimilars, helping healthcare systems treat more people while maintaining rigorous standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

For Abbott, access is not an abstract concept. A healthcare solution only fulfills its purpose if it reaches the people who need it.

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Building a future for oncology through partnerships and quality

Progress in cancer care depends on collaboration. Abbott works with healthcare professionals, policymakers, scientific partners and local institutions to help strengthen oncology ecosystems and address access barriers at the country level. This can include debunking myths and misconceptions on therapies, or supporting patients in their cancer journey,

Quality is foundational to this effort. Across our medicines business, we apply robust, internationally aligned standards to ensure reliability, consistency and trust, because people facing cancer deserve therapies they can depend on.

By combining scientific expertise, local insight and long‑term commitment, Abbott aims to contribute to more resilient cancer care systems and better health outcomes over time.

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On World Cancer Day

On World Cancer Day, we stand with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals around the world. We recognize both the progress that has been achieved and the work that still lies ahead.

At Abbott, we work relentlessly to help people live healthier, fuller lives as they navigate cancer and other health challenges. For many, that support means more moments—and more time—with the people they love.

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This content is intended for general information only and does not promote any specific medicine or treatment.

FAQs

1. What are biologic medicines?

According to the World Health Organization, biologic therapeutics, also referred to as Biologicals, are those class of medicines which are grown and then purified from large-scale cell cultures of bacteria or yeast, or plant or animal cells.
 
Biologicals are a diverse group of medicines which includes vaccines, growth factors, immune modulators, monoclonal antibodies, as well as products derived from human blood and plasma.
 
What distinguishes biologicals from other medicines is that these are generally proteins purified from living culture systems or from blood, whereas other medicines are considered as ‘small molecules’ and are either made synthetically or purified from plants⁹.

2. How have biologic medicines changed cancer care?

According to the Americal Cancer Society, biologic therapies play an important role in cancer treatment, in part because of their ability to target specific aspects of cancer cells.
 
Many biologics work by using a patient’s own immune system, directly or indirectly, to fight cancer.
 
For example, monoclonal antibodies (antibodies), some of the most complex biologics, can be used to target cancer cells and flag them for destruction by the immune system.  In many cases, these biologics may not kill as many healthy cells as other drug treatments, may be less toxic, and may have fewer or more manageable side effects¹⁰. 

3. Are biologic medicines the same as chemotherapy?

No. Traditional chemotherapy uses chemical substances to treat cancer. Biological therapy, by contrast, uses living organisms, substances derived from organisms, or laboratory-made versions of those substances to act against cancer cells¹¹.

4. Are these treatments available to everyone with cancer?

Access to biologics varies by region and healthcare system. Their high costs have limited accessibility for many patients globally. Biosimilar versions of biologic medicines are now helping to change this landscape by providing more affordable treatment options, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the burden of disease is high, and healthcare budgets are constrained​⁸.

This article was written with the assistance of generative AI technology and reviewed for accuracy.

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