St. Jude, WHO to provide child cancer meds to poor nations

By ADRIAN SAINZ
Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The World Health Organization and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are working to provide cancer medicines at no cost to children in under-resourced countries. Their $200 million investment announced Monday addresses an imbalance of survival rates compared with richer nations. They’ve created a Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, with the goal of reaching about 120,000 children between 2022 and 2027. It’ll be free for two years, after which nations may take on some of the costs. St. Jude and the WHO will help poorer nations select medicines, develop treatment standards and track delivery of care.