​Partnership aims to reach millions of American adults and address the highest burden cancers.

The American Cancer Society and Color Health have announced a partnership that will provide convenient, accessible, and comprehensive cancer prevention and screening solutions for the highest-burden cancers including breast, prostate, lung, cervical, and colorectal for more than 150 million Americans who receive health care through either their employer or union.

CEOs of the two organizations also participated in a panel discussion Monday morning, June 5, during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, along with leaders from the White House Cancer Moonshot Initiative and the ACS Board of Directors. (A replay is available on Facebook.) They announced the partnership following the panel during a call with media outlets.

“Ending cancer as we know it, for everyone, requires collaboration, cooperation, and integrated work plans that address the entire cancer continuum – from prevention to detection, to treatment and survivorship,” ACS and ACS CAN CEO Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, pictured at right during the panel discussion, said in a media release. “The core of our partnership with Color Health is about saving more lives and ultimately fulfilling our vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.”

Partnership details

The new partnership will focus on a cancer prevention and screening program that combines ACS’ expertise in clinical, evidence-based research in cancer prevention and Color Health’s leadership in health care delivery to help employers and unions improve cancer outcomes and reduce costs for their employees and members. 

The ACS, Color Health Cancer Prevention and Screening Program aims to bring employer and union workforce populations up to ACS screening guidelines by:

• Providing employers with visibility into cancer screening data to identify and address gaps in access within their population.
• Ensuring employees and members are aware of their primary cancer risk factors and ACS-specific screening and prevention recommendations for their demographic.
• Delivering cancer screenings directly to employees and members at home and helping them navigate coordination with their health care provider(s).
• Offering education, care coordination, and support for those not in compliance with guidelines, and those at risk or diagnosed with cancer, through care teams, including clinicians, care advocates, health coaches, genetic counselors, and mental health support groups.

The new partnership also strongly aligns with the work ACS and Color Health are already doing in support of the White House Cancer Moonshot initiative that aims to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years. 

As part of the partnership, a portion of Color Health proceeds will also help support the ACS Hope Lodge network. 

“Because Color Health shares our mission and vision to touch more lives,” Dr. Knudsen said, “Our partnership is a huge step forward to creating the healthiest nation.”

How to learn more

Monday’s panel discussion is available to watch on demand on the ACS Facebook page. See a screenshot of the discussion below. The event featured moderator ACS CAN Board Vice Chair Dr. Kimberly Jeffries-Leonard and opening remarks from ACS Board Chair Brian Marlow. Panelists included Dr. Knudsen, Color Health CEO and former ACS Board member Othman Laraki, and Dr. Danielle Carnival, deputy assistant to the president for the Cancer Moonshot, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.