Article first published on the PMLiVE website 10th May 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted mental health as a prominent topic in healthcare, with more than half of adults and over two-thirds of young people reporting that their mental health worsened during lockdown restrictions.1
But what does this mean for those who are already challenged by conditions such as cancer? Hear from Bristol Myers Squibb’s (BMS) UK and Ireland Executive Medical Director, Hubert Bland, who believes that to continue with a patient-centric approach to cancer care innovation, we must recognise the importance of mental health, and ensure that support is provided throughout the whole patient journey, including post-treatment.
The focus of the pharmaceutical industry has always been to provide innovative medicines to improve physical health and make long-term survival a possibility. Despite the milestones achieved through clinical research and scientific innovation, we, in the pharmaceutical industry, are now presented with new psychological challenges, as patients are experiencing the effects of diseases for longer.
A key area where this has become a fundamental challenge is in cancer.