Algiers - Pink October is a global campaign held every year in October to raise awareness about breast cancer, promote early detection, and provide psychological and social support for patients and survivors. It also serves as an opportunity to highlight the importance of encouraging women to undergo regular check-ups.

During this Pink October, which is globally dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, the Algerian Federation of Cancer Patients’ Associations issued a statement on Friday, October 17, expressing deep concern over the deviations that have come to characterize many awareness activities. The federation pointed out that this campaign, originally aimed at awareness, psychological support, and early detection, has in recent years turned into a commercial event that has lost its humanitarian spirit.

The federation’s leadership stressed that the “pink celebration” in some provinces has deviated from its intended goals, as venues for fashion shows, beauty displays, perfumes, and luxurious halls have replaced humanitarian spaces meant to bring together patients, survivors, and supporters. This worrying drift, the federation said, distorts the message of Pink October and empties it of its noble meaning, warning that health campaigns risk becoming promotional or commercial tools seeking profit rather than serving humanitarian causes.

Illness Is Not an Advertising Product

The statement reads: “We reject turning Pink October into a showy event aimed at profit or publicity, and we condemn all practices that violate the ethics of humanitarian and associative work—especially those that turn illness into a marketing or entertainment product.” It emphasized that Pink October must remain a humanitarian occasion to speak about pain, suffering, and hope—not to promote cosmetics or hold parties and photo shoots under the pretext of ‘awareness.’

The federation also expressed concern over the decline in the quality of early detection operations organized during Pink October, noting that many of them are not conducted according to clear scientific medical protocols, which can make their results inaccurate—or even harmful in some cases. It warned that screening campaigns not supervised by specialists may lead to medical errors and confusion among participants instead of serving as an effective preventive tool.

The federation called for all medical initiatives to be carried out under the supervision of specialized doctors—including general practitioners, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, and public health specialists—while involving civil society and the Ministry of Health in close monitoring. It stressed that cancer associations must respect professional ethics and patient dignity, as these form the foundation of all awareness efforts.

It also pointed out that the lack of coordination between relevant sectors and the absence of a national database for patients have led to chaos in medical care and worsened the suffering of women with breast cancer. The federation urged a return to the original humanitarian essence of this month—spreading awareness, supporting patients, and ensuring genuine psychological and medical care—rather than focusing on appearances.