Table 7 Dimensions of removing barriers
Dimension | Representative quote |
|---|---|
Out-of-pocket costs | "The government hospital will pay for a large portion of treatment, but women have to pay for the initial mammography and biopsy. They have to have a positive diagnosis before the government will start paying. That is a huge deterrent." [Policy maker from Middle East/North Africa] |
Disparities in access | "Managing breast cancer among underserved populations is poor across the board. These populations are undereducated and the government is not focusing on them." [Patient advocate from Australia] |
High cost to payers | "Our government will not pay for breast cancer for the majority of the population." [Surgeon from Latin America] |
Early detection | "We need better strategies to encourage women of all ages to regularly practice self-detection. We estimate fewer than 5% of women do this." [Surgeon from Asia] |
Reimbursement | "The most significant challenge is being able to demonstrate the cost-benefit of breast cancer therapy in an objective way. There is a particular issue around the affordability of drugs and associated pathology testing--particularly new drugs." [Hospital manager from Canada] |