In this episode of Medicubes, hosts Riwka and Kim are joined by Samuel Johnson, Australian actor and founder of the charity “Love Your Sister”, to discuss the evolving landscape of precision medicine in cancer care and the importance of equitable access for all patients.

Samuel shares his personal motivation for advocating precision medicine, detailing his late sister’s experiences with cancer and her early efforts to secure access to breakthrough treatments. Talking about the science and practice of precision medicine – formerly termed personalised treatment and targeted therapy – focusing on genomics-led approaches that match cancer treatment to an individual's tumour profile. 

Key Talking Points:

• Personal Motivation: Samuel Johnson’s advocacy for precision medicine is shaped by his sister’s multiple cancer diagnoses, and her legacy in driving public and political attention towards cancer research and innovation.
• Evolution of Precision Medicine: Precision medicine uses genomic testing to match patients with the most effective and targeted treatments, reducing reliance on trial-and-error approaches.
• Impact for Patients: This approach reduces the delay from diagnosis to effective treatment, improves patient outcomes, and can lower overall health system costs by avoiding ineffective therapies.
• Professional and Public Advocacy: Samuel emphasises the value of healthcare professionals raising awareness among patients and communities, the importance of patients advocating for themselves in clinical decision-making, and the need for ongoing education about advances in cancer care.
• Future Outlook: Considers the possibility of making precision medicine standard of care within the next 15–20 years.
• Community Support: How we can support “Love Your Sister” through awareness, community engagement, and advocacy, with a focus on education rather than direct financial appeals.

Links & Resources:

• Love Your Sister: https://www.loveyoursister.org
• Australian Story episode on Samuel Johnson: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/australian-story/series/2025/video/NC2502Q014S00 
• Recent precision medicine funding announcement: https://www.omico.com.au/news/5132/ 

Medicubes is a proud member of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network - the premier audio destination for cutting-edge insights and thought leadership in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Learn more at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Healthengine today!

Healthengine is a proud sponsor of the Medicubes podcast. Our easy-to-integrate, and even easier to use, technology helps boost your digital presence, grow your patient base, maximise your practice efficiency and build deeper relationships with your patients. Learn more

Healthengine