Bausch Health’s Salix partners with Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Bausch Health Companies and its gastroenterology business, Salix Pharmaceuticals, are partnering with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to increase awareness and access to preventative colorectal screenings in medically underserved communities.
In May, the Alliance launched a colorectal cancer screening and prevention initiative in Philadelphia focusing on the communities facing the greatest disparities in health outcomes. In addition, Salix will donate its prescription bowel preparation product to individuals who require a colonoscopy in support of the Alliance's efforts to improve access to these screenings. Colonoscopies are a critical tool in the early detection of colorectal cancer research shows colorectal cancer can have a 90% survival rate if caught early.
“The importance of early detection and prevention in colorectal cancer cannot be overstated, and Salix is committed to working with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in its endeavors to address health inequities and to break down barriers to prevention and treatment among those who lack access to care,” said Nicola Kayel, vice president of GI marketing at Salix.
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According to the American Cancer Society, excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women—and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women combined in the United States; and in 2023, it is estimated there will be 106,970 new cases of colon cancer and 46,050 new cases of rectal cancer.
The disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes are largely driven by socioeconomic inequities resulting in differences in access to early detection tests and timely, high-quality care. In fact, 44% of the socioeconomic disparity is attributed to differences in the prevalence of risk factors associated with CRC, such as smoking and obesity, and a similar proportion is due to differences in screening, the partners said.
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“As the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to ending colorectal cancer, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is proud to collaborate with Salix on this important public health initiative,” said Marcie Klein, senior vice president of prevention at the Alliance. “Breaking down barriers to prevention and screening among those at greater risk of diagnosis and death from colorectal cancer is a shared goal of our two organizations. The donation of product by Salix will greatly assist in the program’s success.”