BeiGene’s commitment to Global Health Equity (GHE) extends our founding vision of creating impactful medicines that are affordable and accessible to far more cancer patients around the world. In this and other ways, we are “a different kind of company,” as our Co-Founder Chairman and CEO John V. Oyler says. “We believe we can change the world.”
Few statistics illustrate the inequities in global health and the need for change as clearly as this: In 2020, of the nearly 10 million cancer-related deaths worldwide, 70 percent occurred in low- and middle-income countries.* And in countries with greater resources, such as the U.S., disparities in cancer incidence, mortality and overall burden persist among marginalized groups according to the National Cancer Institute.**
Our Approach
Our work to address these and related health equity challenges is built on four platforms:
Supporting Healthy Patients and Communities
This work includes initiatives such as “Talk About It,” our educational campaign in the U.S. that elevates the conversation about cancer and mental health; the “myBeiGene” patient support program, assisting eligible patients in the U.S. and Canada who are prescribed our therapies; and our Environmental, Social and Governance strategy, which focuses on our global ethical and environmental impacts on society.
Advancing Inclusiveness in Research and Clinical Trials
Our goal is to partner with diverse patient communities early and often in our research work – including clinical trials — to provide therapies that are safe and effective for more people living with cancer.
Building Transformative Partnerships
These include our collaboration with The Max Foundation to provide our BTK inhibitor to adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 29 countries where access to such treatment is especially low; working with the Food and Drug Administration’s Reagan-Udall Foundation as a founding partner to support its Fellow in Regulatory Science, Innovation, and Health Equity program; and partnerships with more than 20 patient advocacy organizations in total.
Activating Equity Across BeiGene
We are ensuring that all our more than 10,000 colleagues around the world understand and can support our GHE commitment and that BeiGene has the organizational capabilities – including the talent – needed to fulfill this commitment. At the same time, we are committed to advancing equity among our colleagues to support them and make equity part of our culture.
We know that collaboration with partners from all sectors is essential to strengthening the global health infrasructure on which so many depend.
No one organization can tackle this massive task alone; but by working together, we can reduce health inequities and improve the health and well-being of millions globally.
*https://www.cancer.org/about-us/our-global-health-work/global-cancer-burden.html accessed 10/4/2023.
**https://www.aacr.org/patients-caregivers/about-cancer/cancer-health-disparities/ accessed 10/4/2023.