For countries in Latin America seeking to be more prepared for precision oncology there are options for how to go about this planning without the need for much new funding. Full participation by all stakeholders and being open to an «agile» governance model are recommended no matter the specific mechanism chosen.
One or more of the following options would send a strong signal to all stakeholders in any one country that precision oncology is important for the future of cancer care in public sector health systems and that planning for this future should be a priority:
- Appoint a multi-stakeholder taskforce to discuss the current environment for precision oncology and to identify short, medium, and long-term needs of the country for its adoption;
- Propose and pass legislation that directs the government to study how to adopt more advanced forms of cancer care, including greater incorporation of precision oncology innovations;
- Commission with external funding a large-scale academic study or set of studies to look at how the country can best prepare for the precision oncology era;
- Engineer an agreement among the primary government authorities in health and finance (Ministry of Health, President’s Office, Finance and Planning Ministry, Science and Research agencies) to direct more attention to precision oncology and its adoption. Have this document «signed» in a high-profile event setting; and/or
- Develop and publish a national consensus statement with key messages on the importance of precision oncology for better cancer care and invite stakeholder organizations and individuals to lend their signatures and expertise to the effort.
These of course are only some examples and exact mechanisms should be adapted to local needs and current realities in terms of what’s feasible and efficient to implement. Obviously, balance is needed between a focus on the situation analysis and on recommending concrete steps for future action. Two additional critical factors for success are participation from a wide range of stakeholder groups and «agile» governance whereby public and private stakeholders work together to help traditional institutions keep pace with technological change for the good (Ref: Brookings report).
In terms of stakeholder participation, planning for precision oncology in public sector health systems should involve representatives from a number of government agencies, different types of physicians and medical professionals, patient advocacy associations, health-related think tanks or foundations, and other key-opinion leaders whose voices carry weight in health policy. An agile governance model implies a quasi-experimental space where those who want to see innovation and those who regulate innovation work together to envision a future where benefits to the public of a new technology are balanced with possible drawbacks to protect against unintended consequences.
