Transforming Policy
Advocate for colorectal cancer policy change with the Transforming Policy toolkit and Policy Scorecard.

Transforming Policy
Why Transforming Policy?
The GCCA Transforming Policy program aims to advance colorectal cancer policy change through supporting patient advocacy groups’ efforts. With the Policy Scorecard for Colorectal Cancer and the Transforming Policy toolkit, this initiative serves as a starting point and guide to effecting policy change around the world.
The global incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing; mortality is increasing too.

In addition to these devastating human costs, the economic burden of CRC is projected to reach INT$2.8 trillion globally between 2020 and 2050. There are effective screening tests for colorectal cancer.
There are effective treatments for colorectal cancer. But access to these screening tests and treatments is insufficient. This can be addressed through transforming colorectal cancer policy.
The Policy Scorecard for Colorectal Cancer
The Policy Scorecard is a data tool that supports policy decision-making. Policy Scorecards provide context for a country’s CRC policy state and support effective communication with policy decision-makers and other stakeholders. The scorecard can help identify gaps, as well as function as a tool to monitor progress, and to celebrate and recognize the advances being made. The scorecard was developed by identifying the relevant public policy action areas and their ideal state, including:
- CRC is a national priority and policies exist to address community needs
- healthcare budgeting for CRC exists
- programs address timeliness of diagnosis and access to innovative treatments
- equitable access to diagnosis and treatment exists
- clinical practice guidelines are developed and updated reimbursement exists for innovative technologies and treatments
Intermediate steps toward each ideal were chosen as indicators, and publicly available information from reliable sources was used to determine the country’s current status on each indicator. A score was given to each indicator status, and results were calculated for an overall score.

The Transforming Policy Toolkit
GCCA has developed this toolkit to guide colorectal cancer patient advocates in policy change efforts worldwide. The toolkit has tips for effective policy advocacy, including how to make the most of social media and how to join efforts with other advocates. It includes a checklist to help advocates organize their policy goals and strategy, from identifying their specific issue to finding the right policymakers to approach. The Transforming Policy toolkit contains a sample letter to policymakers and the WiSE Policy Scorecard for Colorectal Cancer, a tool advocates can use to present information to policymakers to support their policy requests.
