From left – Ang Swee Choo, Chief Marketing Officer, AmMetLife; Ramzi Toubassy, Chief Executive Officer, AmMetLife Insurance Berhad, Hareeff Muhammed, Chief Executive Officer, Pantai Premier Pathology, and Sayyidi Hamzi Dato’ Abdul Raub, Manager, Deputy Lab Director, Senior Clinical Scientist, Reference Specialised Lab (RSL), Pantai Premier Pathology.
19 September 2019, Kuala Lumpur – AmMetLife Insurance Berhad ("AmMetLife") has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pantai Premier Pathology Sdn. Bhd. ("Pantai Premier Pathology") to provide precision oncology genomic testing to AmMetLife’s customers at preferential rates.
Through this collaboration, AmMetLife’s customers, including those covered under the HCC BoostUp Rider plan, will be able to enjoy preferential rates when undergoing genomic testing for cancer at Pantai Premier Pathology’s network of 14 medical facilities across Malaysia. There will be 28 tests that can be carried out, including PROSIGNA and BRCA for breast cancer and EGFR for lung cancer, which can help to assist physicians in making the best treatment decision for cancer patients.
The HCC BoostUp Rider is a first-of-its-kind medical plan in Malaysia that covers genomic testing for cancer, and recently won the Silver Stevie award for the Best New Product of the Year in Financial Services at the 2019 International Business Awards*.
The MoU was signed by Ramzi Toubassy, Chief Executive Officer, AmMetLife and Hareeff Muhammed, Chief Executive Officer, Pantai Premier Pathology. The ceremony which was held at AmMetLife’s head office in Kuala Lumpur, was also attended by senior management of Pantai Premier Pathology and AmMetLife.
According to Ramzi Toubassy, "We are committed to giving our customers greater flexibility and access to leading services to help them navigate their healthcare. Through this MoU, we aim to make genomic testing more accessible and affordable to many Malaysians suffering from cancer. It will now be easier for our customers to undergo tests that define the most appropriate cancer treatment options based on their genetic makeup. They can then make more informed choices and find out the most effective treatment available for them."
"Under this MoU, oncologists, cancer specialists and other medical professionals under Pantai Premier Pathology are able to provide AmMetLife customers with the relevant genomic tests, interpretation of results and ongoing treatment including precision medicine, at preferential rates.
According to Hareeff Muhammed, "The demands of modern healthcare are now growing rapidly. Pantai Premier Pathology aims to keep pace with these demands and one of our breakthrough services is the provision of genomic testing for cancer care. Through this MoU, we can make genomic testing for precision medicine more accessible to cancer patients. We believe this strategic partnership will help to bridge the gap between healthcare services and financing, to provide customers with a more comprehensive and affordable suite of healthcare solutions to improve the quality of their health."
This MoU will also pave the way for both AmMetLife and Pantai Premier Pathology to work together in raising cancer awareness and its associated risk factors through educational programmes and public health talks. More importantly, both parties intend to explore collaborating in promoting the relevance of precision oncology genomic testing in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer over the next two years.
