With alarming drops in cancer screenings around the country, Pfizer initiated “Get It Done” to raise awareness and help address this looming public health issue

Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and health care systems began reporting an alarming drop in non-COVID-19 patient visits. Included in this was a plummet in important cancer screenings and follow-up appointments. These checkups, such as mammograms, colonoscopies and prostate-specific antigen blood tests, have gone down significantly since the start of COVID-19 because of delays or cancellations. 

Pfizer recognizes cancer screenings and follow-up appointments play a critical role in early detection. Moreover, experts warned that delaying these intervention opportunities could result in more late-stage diagnoses with worse prognoses.

As part of its steadfast commitment to patients and high-quality care, Pfizer felt compelled to help raise awareness and address this looming public health issue.

In November, Pfizer introduced “Get It Done” in the U.S., an initiative to engage the public about the importance of speaking with their doctors about keeping up with cancer screenings and follow-up appointments during the COVID-19 crisis, where it is safe to do so.

​​​​​​​Central to the initiative were resources housed on the website, GetCancerScreened.com, to help build confidence, guide people in conversations with their doctor and better prepare them for their appointments, either in-person or via telehealth.

This is just the beginning of Pfizer’s long-term commitment. The company will be expanding the program further in 2021 outside of the U.S. to reach a broader population of people without a personal history of cancer who are still at high risk. These groups will include people over the age of 65, those with a family history of cancer, communities facing health inequities and racial and ethnic minorities with disproportionate rates of cancer diagnoses.