16^th Asia Pacific Oncologists Annual Meeting

Innovation? It's not that we need new ideas, but we must stop having old ideas-Edwin Land, inventor of the Polaroid. The medical world is facing a crucial period. The increase in the world population and its aging will generate a massive influx of patients. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Access and reimbursement of treatments, as well as associated care, are costly priorities. No country in the world will be able to pay these costs if nothing changes. The current model of care must be redesigned. The concept of real-world evidence allows for a new form of scientific validation, associated with the standard of reference of randomized clinical trials, allowing the use of new treatments. Innovation in the detection and treatment of cancers affect all stages. The arrival of new players (start-ups, institutions, companies) and new technologies (AI, digital health, VR, blockchain, etc.) brings a different vision. The different contexts of the actors make it possible to accelerate this evolution. To be effective, it must be accompanied by the regulators, with a change of policy centered on a treatment of great value and responsible care. Expansion of insurance coverage and lower prices will not be enough. This requires that traditional actors adapt, relearn their job by integrating these advances. The range of possibilities is vast, the goals can be achieved if an environment works for everyone. Innovations are a catalyst for economic progress and social transformation if properly integrated.