Sidekick Health chosen as partner for White House’s CancerX project to rapidly accelerate the pace of cancer innovation in the U.S.

Sidekick Health today announces that it will be a partner on the inaugural CancerX project, a public-private partnership that was recently launched by U.S. President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden as part of the reignited national Cancer Moonshot initiative. The project, co-hosted by the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) and Moffitt Cancer Center, aims to unite the diverse stakeholders and innovators necessary to design and create a future that is dedicated to improving cancer outcomes.

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The Cancer Moonshot initiative has ambitious goals to cut the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years and to improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer. The inaugural project, “Advancing Digital Innovation to Improve Equity and Reduce Financial Toxicity in Cancer Care and Research,” is already formed and will start work in early April. It will focus on the root causes of financial toxicity (a term used to describe how out-of-pocket costs related to cancer care can result in financial problems for patients and their families) and health inequity to accelerate human-centered digital innovation to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing cancer patients, providers, and researchers.

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In 2023, the American Cancer Society reported that there would be an estimated 1.9 million new cancer diagnoses, yet innovative digital approaches for delivery and precision oncology care remain limited. Existing approaches are also not yet applied at scale to minimize the burden of financial toxicity to patients with cancer and reduce the associated healthcare access, outcome, and economic disparities. The opportunity to improve cancer care and outcomes is clear and significant. For digital innovation to deliver on its potential to improve the lives of all people with cancer, prioritization of opportunities for the greatest impact is key. This includes improving access, equity, and inclusion when developing and deploying digital solutions for cancer care.

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By identifying the biggest areas of potential impact, developing actionable tools, and providing incentive models, Sidekick, alongside other partner organizations, will share its wealth of expertise in digital therapeutics and help pave the way in fulfilling the promise of digital innovation across the full continuum of care.

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Through partnerships with health insurers and pharmaceutical companies, Sidekick’s unique platform already supports people living with cancer both in the US and Europe. For example, in a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly, Sidekick provides patients living with breast cancer access to a tailored digital health plan, engaging in health-improving tasks which promote behavior modification and overcome barriers to change. It focuses on five main areas: stress management, physical activity, diet, sleep, and medication adherence, the latter representing a significant obstacle to recovery in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Patients are also given access to educational content that has been created in close collaboration with clinical experts, patients, and patient advocacy groups, helping to provide them with unique insights into living with cancer. Sidekick also delivers programs for other chronic conditions, such as obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, and promotes a personalized approach through adaptive care pathways. As part of the CancerX project, Sidekick will help champion the value of high-quality digital innovation in cancer, address methodological gaps where they exist, and define best practices for successful and equitable implementation.

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We are extremely honored and proud to announce that we are a partner on the first CancerX project,

comments Dr. Tryggvi Thorgeirsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Sidekick.

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Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is sadly a disease that will likely affect everyone’s lives at some point, whether directly or indirectly. At Sidekick, our goal is to support and empower those living with cancer to take steps that can positively impact their health and wellbeing. Being a part of such an incredible initiative aligns with our goals to ensure that patients receive the best and most advanced care that they possibly can. It’s a privilege to have been chosen and we look forward to working with the other brilliant companies taking part to bring about real change for patients with cancer.

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We’re thrilled that Sidekick is joining us on the inaugural project for CancerX to use digital innovation to improve equity and reduce financial toxicity in cancer care and research,

adds Sarah Sheehan, DiMe Oncology Program Lead.

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Our work cannot wait. Today cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and those with a cancer diagnosis are much more likely to experience an adverse financial event than those without. Through this project, we have the opportunity to unleash the power of digital innovation to democratize access to better quality health and economic outcomes after cancer treatment for a broader coalition of patients.

About Sidekick Health

‍Sidekick Health is a digital health and therapeutics innovator founded by two passionate medical doctors on a mission to improve the health of humanity. ‍Sidekick provides a uniquely wide range of digital health programs (including oncology, cardiovascular, metabolic, inflammatory, and other chronic conditions), engaging and empowering people to make positive changes, and improve their health outcomes and quality of life. Sidekick’s Adaptive Care Paths combine multiple programs into one, enabling multi-chronic care to support the growing number of people living with multiple chronic conditions. ‍Sidekick works with health insurers, including Elevance Health - the largest U.S. health insurer - and pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Pfizer, to improve patient outcomes, drive clinical efficiency, and lower the cost of care. Sidekick currently operates in multiple global markets and across the U.S., including patients in all insurance classes (Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial). ‍Sidekick has offices in Boston, Berlin, Reykjavik, and Stockholm. To learn more, visit www.sidekickhealth.com. 

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About CancerX 

Announced by the White House Cancer Moonshot in February, CancerX is a public-private partnership to boost innovation in the fight against cancer. Co-hosted by the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) and Moffitt Cancer Center, alongside the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), it convenes the many diverse stakeholders needed to unleash the power of innovation to create a future that’s free of cancer burden. To learn more or participate in CancerX’s pre-competitive, evidence-generating efforts; Accelerator cohort, or demonstration projects, visit www.cancerx.health.