MyeSPEAK Phils. Convenes Policy Roundtable to Highlight Myeloma Awareness Month

Last March 31, key stakeholders such as healthcare professionals, policymakers and patients and their families, gathered for a Policy Roundtable Discussion to identify the 3 most urgent actions needed to be taken to address access. For many Filipinos, the real battle is not just the disease—it is the struggle to access timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and affordable care.

Behind every case is a difficult journey. Patients often experience delays in diagnosis because symptoms can be vague and specialized tests are not widely available. For those outside major cities, the challenge is even greater. What should be a straightforward medical pathway becomes a long and exhausting search for answers.

Even after diagnosis, the burden continues. While medical advances have transformed multiple myeloma into a more manageable condition in many countries, access to these treatments in the Philippines remains limited. Only a fraction of globally available therapies can be accessed locally, and even fewer are covered by government programs. This leaves many families facing high out-of-pocket costs—sometimes forcing impossible choices between treatment and financial survival.

There are encouraging signs. Under the Universal Health Care law, the government has begun expanding cancer services, including outpatient care and palliative support. But for multiple myeloma patients, critical gaps remain—particularly in access to medicines, advanced diagnostics, and procedures such as stem cell transplantation.

This is why recent calls from healthcare experts, policymakers, and patient advocates deserve urgent attention.
First, life-saving medicines must become more accessible. Fast-tracking the inclusion of essential myeloma drugs in the Philippine National Formulary can significantly improve patient outcomes.

Second, health insurance coverage must go further. A dedicated benefit package for multiple myeloma—covering diagnostics, medicines, and advanced treatments—can help protect families from financial catastrophe.

Third, the country needs standardized Clinical Practice Guidelines. Without them, care can vary widely depending on where a patient lives, deepening existing health inequities.

Fourth, better data is needed. Establishing a national registry for multiple myeloma will not only improve understanding of the disease but also guide smarter, evidence-based policies.

Finally, we must not forget the human side of care. Multiple myeloma is often a lifelong condition. Patients need ongoing support—not just treatment, but also monitoring, rehabilitation, and psychosocial care. Equally important is ensuring that patients know what help is already available to them.

Addressing these gaps is not just a technical challenge—it is a shared responsibility. Government agencies, healthcare providers, researchers, and patient organizations must work together to turn policy into real, tangible improvements in people’s lives.

Multiple myeloma may not always make headlines. But for the families affected, its impact is immediate, profound, and often overwhelming.

This Myeloma Awareness Month, awareness must lead to action. Because no Filipino battling cancer should also have to fight for access to care.

2025 Multiple Myeloma Lay Forum by MyeSPEAK
 

• Philippine College of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (PCHTM)
• Philhealth