From the 500,000 registered users in the United States to the 5 in Togo, we are honored to play a part in upholding NCCN’s mission to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care.— Robert W. Carlson, MD
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The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) has announced that its registration count has grown to more than 1 million users. By registering on the NCCN website, users are able to view and download all of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) free of charge for noncommercial use. According to the latest count, the number of registered users has grown to 1,013,449.
“It’s the human story behind these numbers that really matters,” explained Robert W. Carlson, MD, NCCN Chief Executive Officer. “This milestone speaks to the relevance and influence of the NCCN Guidelines. We now have more than 1 million people who have free access to the most up-to-date, evidence-based standards for the treatment of nearly every type of cancer.”
Numbers Continue to Grow
NCCN Guidelines have been downloaded approximately 50 million times since 2006, with the annual download rate doubling over the past 5 years. To keep up with user habits and facilitate easy access, NCCN Guidelines are available not only through NCCN.org, but also via the Virtual Library of NCCN Guidelines mobile app for smartphones and tablets, which launched in December 2013. In 2017, so far, mobile downloads have accounted for more than 1.6 million additional Guidelines downloads.
NCCN’s efforts to increase accessibility also include the translation of NCCN content into 15 different languages, as well as resource-stratified guidelines tailored to low- and mid-resource regions throughout the world. International adaptations and translations of NCCN Guidelines have been downloaded more than 60,000 times worldwide.
Access in Developing Countries
The NCCN has long insisted that “where you live shouldn’t determine whether you live.” That motto has helped spur the organization’s work toward making the Guidelines even more accessible for people in developing countries. Among other projects, the NCCN is currently working with the American Cancer Society, Clinton Health Access Initiative, IBM, and the African Cancer Coalition to create cancer care resources for use in Africa. The initial versions of NCCN’s new guidelines for Africa were released at the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer conference held earlier this month in Kigali, Rwanda. They focus on strategies for optimizing cancer care under a variety of circumstances and resource levels.
“From the 500,000 registered users in the United States to the 5 in Togo, we are honored to play a part in upholding NCCN’s mission to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care, so patients can live better lives,” said Dr. Carlson. ■
