BIO Ventures examines global cancer research funding using World Report

July / August 2019 | Volume 18, Number 4

Full July / August 2019 Global Health Matters newsletter [PDF <1M]

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally and is a particular concern in Africa, where cancer mortality is predicted to double by 2040, according to a commentary by Jennifer Dent , president of BIO Ventures for Global Health .

By using the World Report research funding database, Dent discovered about one-third of all project entries included a reference to cancer. Nearly 1,500 of the grantees were located in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, while only 266 were located in Africa. With the death toll from cancer nearly equal between Africa and North America, the data highlight the disparity in funding allocations, Dent said.

While research on cancer conducted in high-income countries and largely focused on Caucasian patients may generate discoveries that improve health across the globe, it creates knowledge gaps.

“If we do not study the particular clinical challenges of diagnosing and treating cancer in low-resource settings, nor the efficacy of those interventions in populations of non-European descent, health and survival disparities will persist,” Dent noted.