LOS ANGELES COUNTY — The Keck School of Medicine of USC's Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and Novartis have formed a collaboration to support medically underserved communities in Los Angeles County. The collaboration aims to eliminate barriers to breast cancer screening and access by focusing on the early detection of breast cancer.

The project targets communities where access to breast cancer screening and quality care has been limited. USC researchers will examine obstacles to timely care, which include insurance coverage, language barriers, and access to reliable transportation. A key focus of the collaboration is leveraging data science to identify gaps in access to care, determining which communities are most impacted compared to state and national benchmarks.

Chanita Hughes Halbert, associate director for cancer health disparities at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, stated their excitement to collaborate with Novartis. Hughes Halbert, who is also a Distinguished Professor in Population & Public Health Sciences, said the partnership shares goals to identify drivers of health disparities and understand how to improve access. Hughes Halbert leads a navigation team at the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention in USC Norris, which connects community members from medically underserved areas to treatment at comprehensive cancer care centers.

The mortality rate for Black women with breast cancer is about 40% higher than for white women, a disparity linked to a lack of access to timely, high-quality care and resources. Native American and Hispanic women also face disparities in breast cancer screening, often resulting in later-stage diagnoses compared to white women. Despite these disparities, Black women in the U.S. have higher screening rates for breast cancer than white women.

Mitchell Medland, senior vice president, US therapeutic area head, oncology, Novartis, said that improving outcomes in breast cancer means addressing barriers to care. He added that the collaboration reflects Novartis' commitment to understanding care gaps and applying insights to inform equitable approaches. Residents in underserved communities will share their experiences and challenges in accessing care as part of the initiative. USC and Novartis aim to develop community-driven strategies to increase awareness of available resources for patients, including clinic locations, financial assistance, and clinical trial access.