News Archive

Fighter. Hero. Cancer-stricken. The words and metaphors people use to talk about cancer often feel worlds apart from any other disease. But how far does it go? Do words matter?

Alexandra Cossio Duque, a clinical and community research coordinator from Colombia, has travelled the world to study how to overcome social and geographic barriers to healthcare access. Today, she is working in her home country to strengthen the capacity of health systems to treat leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease that is endemic to rural areas of Colombia.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US, claiming one in four lives. Social factors such as living conditions, education and diet play a key role in determining a person’s heart health, which means cardiovascular disease typically hits vulnerable communities the hardest. Our three-year Closing the Gap initiative with the Jefferson Collaborative for Health Equity (established by Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University) focuses on addressing the upstream social determinants of heart health in five vulnerable neighborhoods in Philadelphia with high rates of stroke and adverse outcomes related to heart disease.

After being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, Van Lacour received a Novartis radioligand therapy as part of a managed access program in 2021. Today, he is living a fulfilling life in his hometown of Natchez, Louisiana, US.

As part of the Beacon of Hope initiative, the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, offers 10-week paid summer fellowships for students at Historically Black Medical Schools to gain experience in drug discovery, data analytics and clinical research practices - with the goal of training up to 250 scientific leaders over 10 years.

What happens when a patient’s only treatment hope rests with a promising but not yet locally approved therapy? At Novartis, we are providing a lifeline of access to innovative medicines under review or not yet approved locally when no other treatment options are available.

When Carl was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, he and his wife Arlene began navigating his cancer journey while still looking to enjoy their retirement – hoping to remain active with family and friends in their retirement community.

Leanne Pero discusses her experiences of life before, during and after breast cancer, and how it inspired her to advocate for herself and others like her.

Thierry Diagana and Jonathan Spector from the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) discuss learnings about their work in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and share insights into the factors, which could lead to a resurgence of these diseases.

Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects babies in Africa, but many go undiagnosed due to lack of screening. Newborn screening is needed to save lives and improve care.