Independence Blue Cross (Independence) joined local hospitals and medical schools on Friday, February 3, at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to show its support of a new, first-of-its-kind precision medicine study launched by the Philadelphia Coalition for a Cure (PC4C). The study is focused on discovering more effective treatments for children and adults diagnosed with tumors and cancer of the brain and central nervous system.
At the event, PC4C announced that the study will use the NantHealth GPS CancerTM test to provide oncologists with a comprehensive molecular profile of a patient’s tumor to identify personalized treatment therapies that may benefit the care they receive. In 2016, Independence became the first major insurer to cover the NantHealth GPS Cancer test.
Independence President and CEO Daniel J. Hilferty said, “We strive to bring our members the best options in health care. GPS Cancer arms our oncologists with the most educated data allowing them to offer patients the best treatment strategy available for their individual needs. Independence Blue Cross is thrilled to be part of this initiative that is bringing together the Philadelphia oncology community and leading pediatric institutions to advance cancer research and to truly put the patient at the center of care.”
PC4C members include:
- Division of Neurosurgery and Center for Data Driven Discovery at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Hyundai Cancer Institute at The Children’s Hospital of Orange County
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
- Drexel Neurosciences Institute at Drexel University College of Medicine
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Photos courtesy of Bobby Moulder/CHOP
BACK ROW: Leonard S. Sender, M.D., Hyundai Cancer Institute, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC); Jay Storm, M.D., The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Adam Resnick, Ph.D., The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Daniel J. Hilferty, Independence Blue Cross; Alan R. Turtz, MD, FACS, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
FRONT ROW: Michael Weaver, M.D., Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University; Marisa Fabiszewski, RN, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (brain tumor survivor); Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, FRCS (C), FACS, NantHealth; David Andrews, M.D., Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University; Scott Shephard, M.D., Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University