Expanding Access to Innovation
- Biljana Naumovic, President of US Oncology Solid Tumor at Johnson & Johnson, says the pharmaceutical companies like hers are working to close the gap between cancer drug development and getting those treatments to the community hospital level, where 80% of patients receive care, according to research published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
- Expanding education for physicians, nurses, and advanced practice providers is another priority to improve access to treatments across the oncology ecosystem. Getting oncologists at the local level engaged earlier in the drug development and education process, before treatments become widely available, is a tactic Naumovic believes will help make a difference.
In a recent conversation with SurvivorNet, Biljana Naumovic, President of U.S. Oncology Solid Tumor at Johnson & Johnson, emphasized that closing this gap in community medicine is a top priority. She explained that expanding education and support for providers in community settings is key to making high-quality care more accessible to every patient, no matter where they’re treated. While it’s a message we’ve heard from other leaders, Naumovic is extraordinarily passionate and empathetic to the challenges faced by community oncologists.
Read More Doctors at the community level are “overwhelmed,” Naumovic says. “They’re often engaged very late in the development of new medicines, which means they may not be able to offer the latest advancements to every patient—especially in community settings.” Naumovic says cancer drugmakers are rethinking how research is designed and delivered. That means involving community oncologists earlier in the process. “We are designing research together with community oncology and bringing studies to every community oncology setting where we can help physicians understand the medicine before it comes to the market,” Naumovic said.
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