LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 29, 2022 – The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) today announced 11 PCF-Pfizer Global Health Equity Challenge Awards. A collaboration between PCF and Pfizer Global Medical Grants, the awards totaling $1.47 million are granted to teams at some of the world’s leading cancer research institutions to support prostate cancer research projects that will improve the understanding of, or reduce disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients in minority and underserved communities.  The 11 award winners represent eight countries including Hong Kong, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and the United States and were selected by an esteemed, independent panel of experts assembled by PCF.

Globally, prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer diagnosed among men, with over 1.4 million cases diagnosed worldwide. In the United States alone, Black men are about 75 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and over two times more likely to die from it; in the U.S. Latino community, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among men. The 11 projects selected from across the globe in the 2021 PCF-Pfizer Global Health Equity Challenge Awards will focus specifically on research to identify barriers in the delivery of equitable health care and health services research programs to study and optimize care delivery.

“The Prostate Cancer Foundation has been funding research to understand and address this disparity for more than 25 years,” said Howard R. Soule, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, PCF. “We are honored to partner with Pfizer in this endeavor and congratulate the investigators on their research which we believe has the potential to reduce disparities in prostate cancer.”

“At Pfizer, we are committed to reducing healthcare disparities by working with partners who share our vision of health equity and quality care for all,” said Dany Habr, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Pfizer Oncology. “Pfizer and The Prostate Cancer Foundation are steadfast in our support of these investigators and their work to address these critical areas of improvement for the prostate cancer community.”

A full list of the teams awarded 2021 PCF-Pfizer Health Equity Challenge Awards are can be accessed here.

Principal Investigators: Jackson Orem, Uganda Cancer Institute, Uganda ; Lyn Atuyambe, PhD, MPH, Makerere University

Co-Investigators: Annabella Habinka Ejiri, PhD, MS, King Ceasor University; Alfred Jatho Lubega, PhD, MPH, Uganda Cancer Institute; Babra Nalwadda, DPH, King Ceasor University; Alphonsina Mujiwimana, MBChB, King Ceasor University; Sibointore Jack, MPH, Uganda Prisons; Justine Ariko, MSc, Uganda Prisons; Kajooba Fred, MBChB, Uganda Prisons
Project Title: Understanding Barriers to and Facilitators of Prostate Cancer Screening Among Men in Uganda Prisons so as to Design and Implement Interventions to Increase Prostate Cancer Screening Uptake in Prison Settings