Access to Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the Developing World: Barriers and Solutions

Meillon-Garcia, Luis Antonio; Demichelis-Gómez, Roberta

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a costly disease, and its impact is greater in developing countries (DC). We will review the current concept of what are DC, compare the differences in the epidemiology and economic burden of this disease between developed and DC, and finally, analyze the barriers and possible solutions that DC should implement to achieve better results. RECENT FINDINGS: DC is a frequently misunderstood name. The way we use to measure human development is changing, and multidimension metrics better define what are DC. With this in mind, we show the differences in the AML epidemiology and the impact of economic burden in DC. We analyze the barriers to access therapy from a clinician point of view, to show that most DC shared similar challenges but with a diverse healthcare structure. Finally, we provide several possible solutions for a more integrated and timely treatment that allows better results not only in terms of survival but with a better quality of life. SUMMARY: The economic burden of AML treatment in DC is high, and the results are poor. It is crucial to face this challenge and propose new treatment approaches to achieve better results.