Health care is more than a system -- it's a fundamental human need, essential to the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Yet, somewhere along the way, health care became disconnected from its purpose. At , we believe the key to restoring the essence of health care lies within the very words themselves. It's not just about health -- it's also about care.
When health & care are intertwined, the focus shifts back to the individual and their unique journey. This more personal approach leads to genuine connections between patients, care partners, and medical professionals, creating a more compassionate healthcare system. By grounding our work in these fundamental principles, we can bridge the gap that has formed in health care, ensuring that innovation and empathy go hand-in-hand.
Leading Where Medicine Is Going
This philosophy is what guides our efforts in oncology, which we showcased at this year's ASCO meeting. We strive to lead where medicine is going as we work to tackle some of the most serious forms of hematologic and solid tumor malignancies, all while keeping patients at the center of everything we do.
In hematology, we're redefining what's possible for every person living with multiple myeloma. Despite recent progress, multiple myeloma remains a highly variable and incurable disease. Patients may experience multiple relapses and after each one, they have even fewer options to treat the disease. We're striving to change outcomes and advance care for every person living with multiple myeloma by pursuing a portfolio of best-in-class, complementary therapies that attack the disease in different ways throughout the course of illness. We aim to innovate to foster longer, better lives by helping clinicians utilize and maximize the optimal treatment regimen for their patients as early as possible. We envision a world where multiple myeloma is redefined as curable, and together with the power of the myeloma community, we are getting closer to making that a reality.
Within solid tumor, we're addressing high unmet needs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and genitourinary cancers, such as bladder and prostate. In NSCLC, we continue to deliver targeted and tolerable therapies for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated cancers. We're also advancing our portfolio for bladder cancer, aiming to delay or prevent radical cystectomy through targeted and combination therapies. Data showing poor outcomes in bladder cancer underscore the importance of our goal to advance the treatment paradigm through bladder-sparing and BCG-free therapies in earlier-stage disease and precision medicine approaches for patients with specific genetic mutations. In prostate cancer, our approach is multifaceted, leveraging highly selective targets and novel drug delivery technology to address heterogeneity and resistance. In addition to traditional endpoints like overall survival, we are committed to assessing additional clinical endpoints that reflect patients' well-being, like patient-reported outcomes, and investing in real-world analyses based on patient populations that reflect those seen in clinical practice.
Delivering Beyond Medicine
Our commitment to patients, care partners, advocacy groups, and healthcare professionals goes beyond medicine.
Recognizing healthcare professionals are on the frontlines of care, we must work to support them so they can deliver the best care possible. Programs such as , which we launched in collaboration with the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology (APSHO), are key. This program is a multi-year effort to support advanced practice providers (APPs) who are instrumental in providing life-changing care to people living with multiple myeloma. It offers credible, streamlined resources to help APPs in their careers and recognizes their critical role in improving multiple myeloma care.
In addition to supporting healthcare professionals, we must also listen and learn from those whose lives have been touched by cancer. This is essential if we are to successfully deliver health & care in oncology. We must keep patients at the center of everything we do, and work to improve the health disparities that persist within oncology. Programs such as Talk That Talk™, That's My Word™, and the Digital Advocacy Program are examples of how we can help to build a healthier future by promoting equity, education, and community support in lockstep with patients. Talk That Talk™ creates awareness of prostate cancer among Black men and encourages early detection. That's My Word™ addresses healthcare disparities in the Black community, focusing on multiple myeloma outcomes through increased awareness, earlier diagnosis, and treatment. BeLUNG Here™ is an inclusive space created alongside patients, survivors, and supporters to provide educational and emotional support for everyone in the lung cancer community. BeLUNG Here™ includes a Digital Advocacy Program that empowers Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Black communities in online advocacy by providing virtual courses and resources to amplify their voices.
The Path Forward
In oncology, our bold vision is to eliminate cancer by connecting the best of health & care for every provider, every patient, and everyone. To achieve this, we need to push beyond conventional boundaries, embracing both innovation and compassion as we work to develop treatments for today and unlock potential cures for tomorrow. But we can't do it alone.
Whether you're a healthcare professional, a researcher, a policymaker, or someone who has been touched by cancer, your voice and your actions matter. ASCO is just one example of how we can come together to create a world where health & care go hand in hand.
At Johnson & Johnson, we're working every day to get in front of cancer. The path forward is challenging, but it's also filled with opportunity. Join us as we work to build a healthcare system that truly delivers health & care to every person touched by cancer.
The Ƶ Editorial team was not involved in the creation of this content.