Johnson & Johnson launches The 3rd Opinion in Asia Pacific: a new term to elevate the patient voice in the lung cancer treatment journey

Newly published research shows up to 77% of patients in Asia Pacific trust and rely on their physicians to decide their treatment for them despite 69% of physicians encouraging patients to engage in shared decision making1.

A new term, coined The 3rd Opinion, is designed to spark a social movement that empowers patients to recognize their vital role in shared decision-making, in a region that is disproportionately impacted by lung cancer2.

SINGAPORE –
Media OutReach Newswire – 1 August 2025 – Today, on World Lung Cancer Day, Johnson & Johnson announced the launch of The 3rd Opinion, the patient’s own opinion, a new term that seeks to elevate the patient voice and transform the treatment journey of lung cancer across Asia Pacific by enhancing shared decision making. With significant scientific advancements and more lung cancer treatments becoming available, it is essential for patients to understand their options and actively engage in their care. Johnson & Johnson seeks to empower patients, amplify their voices and ensure that collaborative care becomes a reality for every patient.

According to newly published data on NSCLC patient preferences in
Future Oncology, up to 77% of patients in Asia Pacific trust and rely on their physicians to decide their treatment for them despite 69% of physicians encouraging patients to engage in shared decision making[1]. Cultural norms around stigma, not questioning authority, and limited understanding of the disease can often be major barriers causing patients not to voice concerns or ask questions, even when healthcare professionals actively encourage their input.

“Being diagnosed with lung cancer is overwhelming. It’s natural for patients to seek clarity, often by pursuing a second opinion, to better understand their condition and treatment options. However, patients often hesitate to express their concerns and treatment goals, causing them to be overlooked in the decision-making process. By creating space for the patient’s own opinion, The 3rd Opinion, creates a new way of thinking about lung cancer treatment and empowers patients to find their voice,” said Anthony Elgamal, Vice President of Oncology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Asia Pacific.

Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality rate of all cancers worldwide, with more than 2.5 million people diagnosed every year, and Asia makes up 63% of all patients[2]. Up to 85% of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and Asians are more prone to certain genetic mutations than the rest of the world. One of the most prevalent is a mutation known as EGFR where 30-40% of all NSCLC diagnoses are in Asia, compared to 10-15% in the United States and Europe[3][4][5]. Often being diagnosed at a late stage, less than 20% of people with these genetic mutations survive beyond five years[6], and up to 40% never get the chance to receive a subsequent therapy after first-line treatment.[7][8][9]

“With the disproportionately high prevalence of certain NSCLC mutations in Asia Pacific, we need to think differently about how we treat patients and what more we can achieve with the first treatment. Treatment options have become increasingly complex and clinical decision making should comprehensively consider disease characteristics, patient treatment goals and values, and aim for an individualized balance between survival, longer lasting disease control and side effects. When shared decision making includes all available options, the final decision can be made collaboratively,” said Prof James Chih-Hsin Yang, Director of National Taiwan University Cancer Center and key advocate for The 3rd Opinion initiative.

Mark Brooke, Chief Executive Officer of Lung Foundation Australia, co-author of the Future Oncology publication and an advocate of The 3rd Opinion agreed, “The physician and patient dynamic is one of trust, but we cannot rely on that alone. The consequence is a potential disconnect between the patient and their healthcare professional around treatment preferences and personal goals. For patients, they often want more time above all else – to witness life’s milestones, more moments with loved ones, and more opportunities to simply live. Patients need to be equipped with adequate disease and treatment information, so they can communicate what matters most to them”.

The 3rd Opinion will be launched across multiple markets with educational resources, including a Lung Cancer Book of Answers in China,
a patient empowerment video and various shared decision making tools across Asia Pacific to spark a social movement that encourages patients to confidently articulate their personal goals for treatment. The creation of a neologism, like
The 3rd Opinion, ensures shared decision making becomes accepted into clinical practice and in turn fosters an environment where the doctor’s expertise and the patient goals come together to design the best treatment plan.

[1] Chee Khoon Lee et al. Navigating advanced lung cancer care, patient–physician alliance, cancer stigma, and psychosocial support in Asia-Pacific: perspectives from patients, caregivers, and physicians. DOI: 10.1080/14796694.2025.2499511

[2] Natia Jokhadze MD, Arunangshu Das MBBS, Don S. Dizon MD. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. Volume 74Issue 3CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians pages: 224-226 First Published online: April 4, 2024

[3] Keedy VL, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology Provisional Clinical Opinion: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutation Testing for Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Considering First-Line EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2011; 29(15): 2121-2127.

[4] Ellison G, et al. EGFR Mutation Testing in Lung Cancer: a Review of Available Methods and Their Use for Analysis of Tumour Tissue and Cytology Samples. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2013; 66(2): 79-89.

[5] Korpanty G, et al. Biomarkers That Currently Affect Clinical Practice in Lung Cancer: EGFR, ALK, MET, ROS-1, and KRAS. Frontiers in Oncology. 2014; 4: 204.

[6] Bazhenova L, Minchom A, Viteri S, et al. Comparative clinical outcomes for patients with advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations and common EGFR mutations. Lung Cancer. 2021;162:154-161.​

[7] Nieva J, Karia PS, Okhuoya P, et al. A real-world (rw) observational study of long-term survival (LTS) and treatment patterns after first-line (1L) osimertinib in patients (pts) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive (m) advanced non-small cell lung cancer [ESMO abstract 1344P]. Ann Oncol. 2023;34(suppl 2):S774 ​

[8] Lee JY, Mai V, Garcia M, et al. Treatment patterns and outcomes of first-line osimertinib-treated advanced EGFR mutated NSCLC patients: a real-world study [IASLC abstract EP08.02-082]. Presented at: IASLC 2022 World Lung Conference on Lung Cancer; August 6-9, 2022; Vienna, Austria.​

[9] Girard N, Leighl NB, Ohe Y, et al. Mortality among EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC patients after starting frontline osimertinib treatment: a real-world, US attrition analysis. Presented at: the European Lung Cancer Congress; March 29-April 1, 2023; Copenhagen, Denmark. Poster 19P.​

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