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The Relationship Between Pharmaceutical Innovation and Cancer Mortality in Spain, From 1999 to 2016
1Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA; CESifo, Munich, Germany.
Summary
Pharmaceutical innovation, measured by new drug authorizations, correlated with reduced cancer mortality in Spain from 1999 to 2016. More new cancer drugs led to greater decreases in deaths and life-years lost.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Health Economics
- Pharmaceutical Policy
Background:
- Cancer mortality rates in Spain have shown varying trends.
- The impact of pharmaceutical innovation on cancer outcomes requires detailed investigation.
- Understanding the relationship between drug development and mortality reduction is crucial for public health policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between pharmaceutical innovation and changes in cancer mortality across different cancer sites in Spain.
- To determine if cancer sites with more new drug authorizations experienced greater reductions in mortality between 1999 and 2016.
Main Methods:
- Assessed pharmaceutical innovation using the change in mean vintage (year of authorization) of cancer drugs.
- Controlled for the lagged change in cancer incidence to isolate the effect of innovation.
- Analyzed mortality data, including mean age at death and life-years lost, from 1999 to 2016.
Main Results:
- Cancer sites with increased pharmaceutical innovation showed larger reductions in mortality.
- Pharmaceutical innovation accounted for 96% of the observed increase in mean age at death from cancer.
- New drug authorizations were linked to a significant reduction in life-years lost before age 75.
Conclusions:
- Pharmaceutical innovation is strongly associated with decreased cancer mortality in Spain.
- Increased access to new cancer drugs contributes to improved survival and reduced premature deaths.
- The findings support the value of investment in pharmaceutical research and development for cancer treatment.
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