Hematologic cancers should be on the national political radar, experts say
Approved without vetoes, Law 14,758/2023 will be fundamental to every patient's journey; from diagnosis to remission of the disease
On April 8th, the date on which World Cancer Day is celebrated, ABHH would like to highlight the initiatives of public agencies regarding the onco-hematological treatments offered to the population. Yes, blood cancer is also cancer. Hematologic cancers refer to the types of cancer that originate in blood cells. Unlike tumors that affect solid parts of the human body, hematological cancers also manifest differently and the suggested treatment requires another type of approach.
The most recent, on December 19, 2023, the Federal Government signed Law 14,758/2023, instituting, in an unprecedented way, a National Cancer Prevention and Control Policy within the scope of the Unified Health System (PNPCC/SUS).
Since March 2023, the Brazilian Association of Hematology, Hemotherapy and Cell Therapy (ABHH) has actively participated in public hearings at the invitation of the Special Commission to monitor actions to combat cancer in Brazil. At the time, the Association raised issues such as equity and access to new technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of hematological cancers. “The Law, as a proposal approved by the legislature and instituted by the executive, implies the commitment of the different levels of government and the legal obligation to comply with it,” says hematologist Dr. Jorge Vaz, Director of Social Actions at ABBH, who was present at the hearings.
Changes
Currently, the discrepancy between the evaluation and financing model of onco-hematological drugs and the availability of new technologies make it difficult to deal with cancer in Brazil. In addition to objectives and guidelines that direct actions for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of cancer in the country, Law 14,758/2023 amends Law 8,080/1990, the Organic Health Law, adapting the evaluation and financing model of onco-hematological drugs to the new technologies available that present scientific evidence.
Data from the Ministry of Health show that in 2023 alone, it was necessary to recover R$1 billion from the financial ceiling for oncology in states and municipalities. Now, with the new Law, drugs for cancers with a higher incidence, for highly complex treatments that represent a high financial impact on the SUS, will be a priority. In addition, the Law also establishes a maximum period of 180 days for the availability of drugs incorporated by Conitec into the SUS.
Scenario and more performances
For each year of the triennial period 2023-2025, data from the National Cancer Institute (INCA) show that 704,000 new cases of cancer are expected in Brazil, of which hematological cancers such as Leukemia, Lymphomas and Myelomas require highly complex treatments.
Last March, ABHH held the Access and Equity Forum — Northern Region, in Belém, PA, with the participation of the health doctor, Dr. Fernando Maia, who heads the General Coordination of the National Cancer Prevention and Control Policy. At the time, he commented that it is rare for a Bill to be approved without changes in the House and Senate, and that it is sanctioned without vetoes by the Federal Government, as was the PNPCC/SUS. “This shows the coordination between the different actors for the discussion and for the project to be approved with appropriate contributions,” he says.
Law No. 14,758/2023 also establishes the National Navigation Program for People Diagnosed with Cancer, which consists of the active search for cancer cases and the individual monitoring of the patient from diagnosis to treatment, and as analyzed by specialists, this Program takes as a reference a similar model that already exists aimed at the control of breast cancer.
The ABHH remains vigilant and at the disposal of @minsaude and the General Cancer Coordination to act technically within public policies for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hematological tumors.
On this day, we once again reinforce our commitment to act on behalf of onco-hematological patients.
#DiaMundialDeCombateAoCâncer
