Astellas Pharma is working to address Access to Health (ATH) issues in various countries, including collaborating with external partners to help strengthen health systems and improve healthcare literacy.
In Brazil, gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and early treatment intervention through improved medical literacy is an issue in accessing medical care. Brazil is a large country where growing disparity in medical care between urban and rural areas has become a significant social issue. Improving health literacy and reducing regional disparities are essential for improving access to medical care in Brazil.
To help address these access challenges, Astellas has collaborated with Pixit, a local Brazilian tech company, to develop the virtual "Astellas Healthcare E-city" platform.
The E-city launched in 2023 with educational content on the early diagnosis and prevention of gastric cancer in partnership with local medical specialists. Anyone in Brazil with an internet connection can access the platform and educational resources to help contribute to greater equity for Brazilians by improving medical literacy across regions and in rural and urban locations. It also facilitates connections and builds community among those living with gastric cancer. Increased user knowledge, communication, and connections between users could lead to earlier diagnosis, potentially contributing to reduced healthcare expenditures and better health outcomes.
Building on this success, a second content launched in 2024 with information and support resources for Brazilians about vasomotor symptoms during menopause(VMS, knowns as hot flashes and night sweats).
Astellas will continue to look for opportunities in the future to use the virtual platform to implement additional healthcare-related applications.
Astellas believes that through this Astellas Healthcare E-city, we can contribute to further improving the medical literacy of the Brazilian people.