As the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting convenes global oncology leaders, the International Cancer Patient Coalition (ICPC) is leading critical discussions to ensure equitable patient access to life-saving cancer diagnostics and treatments. With a focus on HER2-low diagnostics, liquid biopsy equity, NSCLC resistance solutions, and systemic barriers to care, ICPC’s sessions aim to transform scientific breakthroughs into real-world patient impact.

Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Access

Despite transformative advances in precision oncology - including HER2-low classification and ctDNA-guided therapy - millions of patients worldwide face preventable delays and denials in diagnosis and treatment. Key challenges include:

• 30–50% variability in HER2-low testing, leaving many patients misclassified and ineligible for targeted therapies.
• 70% reimbursement gaps in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for critical diagnostics and treatments.
• 14-month delays in next-line therapies for NSCLC resistance mutations due to fragmented testing and approval systems.
• 80% of MRD testing uncovered  despite its potential to reduce trial costs by 42%

"Scientific progress means nothing if patients can’t access it,” says the International Cancer Patient Coalition. “At ASCO, we’re tackling the systemic roadblocks—from lab shortages to payment policies—that stand between breakthroughs and the people who need them most.”

Highlights of ICPC’s ASCO 2025 Sessions

• Scaling HER2-Low Diagnostics & ADCs Worldwide

30 May, 9:30 AM CDT: Experts will address standardizing HER2 testing and expanding access to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), featuring Dr. Ana Garrido-Castro (Dana-Farber) and Dr. Emina Torlakovic (University of Toronto). Focus: Patient advocacy for inclusive reimbursement policies.

• Policy Solutions for NSCLC Resistance Mutations

30 May, 11:30 AM CDT: Strategies to cut therapy delays and mandate biomarker re-testing, with insights from Dr. Tony Mok (CUHK) and Dr. Nisha Mohindra (Northwestern University). Focus: Survivorship care for underserved regions.

• Liquid Biopsy for All: Equity in Trial Design

30 May, 4:00 PM CDT: A roadmap to decentralize testing and align global regulations, led by Dr. Don Dizon (Tuft University) and Dr. Paul Hofman (France).

A Call to Action for Universal Access

ICPC’s sessions will deliver actionable policy solutions: 

“Every delay in diagnosis or treatment is a life at risk,” emphasized Vivek Subbiah, MD (Sarah Cannon Research Institute). “We must redesign systems to put patients first—no matter where they live or what they earn.”

Please see the agenda HERE and to register HERE

Source: The International Cancer Patient Coalition