
Global Oncology Medical Diplomacy Working Group Inaugural Meeting: Defining Worldwide Barriers to Germline Genomics in Cancer Prevention and Management
Abstract
We convened an international working group to examine the issues that challenge equity and inclusion in genetic medicine. Specifically, 72 internationally known experts in oncology and cancer genetics from 34 countries (the Global Oncology Medical Diplomacy Working Group), gathered virtually on January 4–5, 2022, for the “Humanity Cancer Germline Convergence and Divergence Cancer Predispositions” conference hosted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health and the Al Jalila Foundation. The goal of the conference was to broaden transnational understanding of the current state of genetics in preventive and therapeutic cancer medicine, and to define barriers to increased uptake of germline genomics to decrease the international burden of cancer. Here, we highlight the overarching barriers that were defined through this effort. These global barriers to incorporating germline genomics into optimal cancer care can inform ongoing research, collaboration, and advocacy for equitable, cost-effective genomic medicine for populations worldwide.
© 2023 Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa, Larry Norton, The Global Oncology Medical Diplomacy Working Group, published by Ubiquity Press
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