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Published on: December 9, 2015
Securing sustainable price levels of innovative anticancer drugs: How to move forward?
N Franzen1, V Retèl1, W van Harten2
1University of Twente, Department of HTSR, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; The Netherlands Cancer Institute, PO Box 90203, 1006 BE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Background:
Novel cancer treatments come with high price tags that compromise access to treatment and the sustainability of healthcare systems. Innovative policies are needed to reach a system that balances innovation and reasonable prices. However, structured approaches to explore, test, and compare innovative proposals are lacking.
Methods:
We surveyed experts to evaluate seven promising proposals to reduce drug prices: Transparency, Combined European purchasing, Public drug development, Public clinical trials, Two-part-pricing, Orphan drug reform, and De-linkage. Experts were asked to rank proposals, identify main risk and success factors, and to reflect on missing proposals. The survey was distributed via the networks of the European Cancer League and the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes.
Results:
Respondents (n = 41) originated from 19 European countries and included stakeholders in health economics, law, medicine, drug discovery, and healthcare policy.Transparency (M = 2; SD = 2 1) and Combined purchasing (M = 3; SD = 1 9) were ranked as the most promising proposals, Two-part pricing (M = 5; SD = 2 3) and De-linkage (M = 6; SD = 2 4) were considered as the most controversial. Main risk categories were a negative impact on R&D (n = 47), technical feasibility (n = 38), and reduced access to medicines (n = 33). Main success categories were international collaboration (n = 34) and agreement of pricing mechanisms (n = 25). Experts considered value assessment and strengthening of the competitive market as additional proposals for further analysis.
Conclusion:
We recommend expanding on these results to further specify actionable policies that can be tested. Pilots should consider uncertainties and conducted with a focus on international collaboration, preferably in cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry.
Insights
Innovative policies are needed to balance novel cancer treatment costs and access. Experts favored transparency and combined European purchasing, while noting risks to R&D and feasibility. Further testing of actionable policies is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Pharmaceutical Policy
- Cancer Treatment Access
Background:
- High prices of novel cancer treatments threaten healthcare sustainability and patient access.
- Innovative policies are crucial for balancing drug innovation with affordability.
- A structured approach to evaluate policy proposals for drug pricing is currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey experts on promising proposals for reducing cancer drug prices.
- To identify risks, success factors, and potential improvements for these proposals.
- To inform the development of policies that ensure both innovation and reasonable drug costs.
Main Methods:
- A survey was distributed to experts across European networks.
- Seven proposals were evaluated: Transparency, Combined European purchasing, Public drug development, Public clinical trials, Two-part-pricing, Orphan drug reform, and De-linkage.
- Experts ranked proposals, identified risks/success factors, and suggested missing proposals.
Main Results:
- Transparency and Combined European purchasing were ranked as most promising.
- Two-part pricing and De-linkage were considered most controversial.
- Key risks included negative impacts on R&D, technical feasibility, and reduced access; success factors involved international collaboration and pricing mechanism agreement.
Conclusions:
- Further specification and testing of actionable policies are recommended.
- Pilot studies should address uncertainties and prioritize international collaboration, potentially with industry partners.
- Developing policies that balance innovation and affordability is essential for sustainable healthcare systems.
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