Biopharmaceutical leader Takeda recently released its Access to Medicines Progress Report 2022, highlighting the company’s progress in broadening access to life-changing medicines and vaccines, with a special focus on low to middle-income countries (LMICs). 

Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the disproportionate effects of diseases, especially for LMICS, with patients experiencing even more challenges in getting access to the medicines they need. Not to mention its impact on healthcare infrastructures, limiting the ability to invest in broadening access to innovative medicines.

Takeda’s latest Access to Medicines Report details the company’s Access to Medicines approach, which is: Patient first, providing access based on the patient’s individual circumstances and unique needs; Holistic, utilizing an end-to-end approach from education to screening, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare; and Collaborative, placing importance in building and supporting healthcare systems through partnerships. The report also provides updates on the progress of their current Access to Medicines Programs globally, including programs in the Philippines. 

Improving Access to Lymphoma Treatments in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the cost of medical treatment for serious illnesses can be financially prohibitive for patients and their families. To help address this gap, Takeda utilized several approaches – tiered pricing, which allows for price adjustments relative to a country’s income levels and other factors, and Patient Access Programs (“PAP”), which help patients with limited means to obtain Takeda’s innovative treatments.

This approach was utilized to help reimagine lymphoma care in the Philippines, where many patients are unable to get the medicine, they need due to a lack of early and proper diagnosis. 

Patients in the Philippines living with Hodgkin lymphoma, one of the most prevalent 14 cancers in the country, make an average of between five and 10 visits to different healthcare professionals before being diagnosed, delaying critical treatment. For CD30 lymphoma testing, which is required to detect rarer forms of the condition, there have historically been no routine testing procedures available. In addition, outpatient diagnostic procedures are usually paid for out of pocket, posing an additional financial barrier.

Utilizing its holistic approach, Takeda Healthcare Philippines, Inc. (“Takeda Philippines”) has been working closely with NGOs such as the Philippine Cancer Society and Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association of the Philippines to provide support and financial assistance for patients in need of CD30 testing. The company has also provided financial support to patients through the PAP, enabling patients to access complete courses of prescribed medication. 

Since 2017, over 300 Filipino patients have been able to access and complete their course of treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma through Takeda’s PAP, which have worked with 113 hospitals, 197 physicians, and enrolled 346 patients.

Takeda Philippines has been working to help to fill in gaps in the local health ecosystem during the pandemic. At the onset of community quarantine in the Philippines, they worked with partners and physicians to enable continuity in the administration of lymphoma medicine, ensuring that doses were delivered to patients at the time of their treatments. 

The company also accelerated the use of digital platforms to serve as an educational resource for patients, healthcare professionals, and the community at large, to raise awareness on the condition and available treatments during the pandemic. Critical practitioner training and end-to-end upskilling across capability areas such as pathology diagnosis of CD30 lymphomas were also conducted to over 1,700 pathologists in partnership with the Philippine Society of Pathologists

"In the Philippines, we’ve channeled our efforts to providing holistic solutions to transform lymphoma care in partnership with the country’s healthcare system. We hope to bring the same patient-first, holistic and collaborative approach to broaden access to medicines for other rare diseases as well, so that we can help the country realize its goal of providing universal healthcare to Filipinos," said Country Manager of Takeda Philippines, Mrs. Loreann Villanueva. 

Globally, Takeda’s PAP have been implemented in 18 countries and categories, benefitting over 5,700 patients and resulting in improved patient access by 15% across countries where PAP have been made available. 

Launching a Global Network for Health Equity

Aside from addressing gaps in affordability, Takeda has also launched its Takeda Center for Health Equity and Patient Affairs, where the company is collaborating with a diverse global network of health equity partners, including patients, communities, and organizations both public and private, to empower communities to identify and address health inequities sustainably, leading to improved care at every stage of the patient journey. 

Today, Takeda’s Global Health Equity Network spans 37 countries, comprising over 150 community-based health equity leaders and 20 international and local NGO partners. Through the network, more than 1,600 local clinicians, nurses, investigators, researchers and health care workers in 37 countries have been trained in disease awareness, diagnostic and treatment approaches, epidemiology, data management, basic and health equity research and clinical trials; over 1,000 research projects and clinical trials were conducted focused on addressing local health inequities and diseases impacting communities;  while advances in local health care capacity used to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment have benefitted over 20,000 patients.

For more information on Takeda Philippines initiatives and to access the full Access to Medicines Progress Report, visit www.takeda.com .