Gilead awards $7.6 Million in grants to advance breast cancer health equity

Biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences has awarded $7.6 million (£6.1 million) in grant funding to 24 US-based, community organisations through the newly created Toward Health Equity (THE) Oncology Grant.

The funding will support the development of evidence-based interventions that address barriers to care and social determinants of health.

Deborah H. Telman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and General Counsel, Gilead Sciences, said:

“Gilead is committed to advancing health equity and supporting these vital patient advocacy organisations working to close gaps in breast cancer care.”

Breast cancer affects more American women than any other type of cancer, other than skin cancer.

However, due to social, environmental and economic disparities, people of colour are at increased risk of developing or dying from breast cancer.

In 2023, an estimated 300,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the US and more than 43,000 women will die from the condition.

The 2023 funding will support evidence-based interventions that focus on patient navigation and digital/mobile interventions aimed at improving health equity.

The 2023 grantees were chosen based on several criteria including their ability to create measurable and sustainable change toward health equity.

Telman added:

“We believe our Toward Health Equity Oncology Grant awards contribute important new understanding to advance and care for anyone living with breast cancer.

“We look forward to seeing their dynamic, innovative programmes come to life.”

THE Oncology Grant builds on Gilead’s 2022 programme, which provided $5.7 million (£4.6 million) in grants to 21 US organisations for programmes working to advance health equity for Black people impacted by triple-negative breast cancer.

The new grantees serve historically neglected and underrepresented communities including Jewish, Hispanic, LGBTQIA, Indigenous American, and others, and will work to address access disparities in the treatment of breast cancer.