[Dose banding. Observational study on cost optimization in chemotherapy].

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Economics
• Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

• Rising cancer treatment costs pose a significant challenge to healthcare systems.
• Dose banding, a cost-optimization strategy involving standardized drug dosing, has proven effective internationally.
• Implementing dose banding in Argentina was unexplored, necessitating an evaluation of its potential cost savings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential cost savings of implementing a dose banding system for cancer treatments in Argentina.
• To assess the feasibility and economic impact of dose banding for common cancer types.

Main Methods:

• An observational study analyzed oncology drug costs for patients with breast, colon, and prostate cancer at IOSFA.
• Drug costs were calculated based on actual doses administered and then simulated using a dose banding system (cytostatics ±5%, monoclonal antibodies ±10%).
• The study included 28 patients receiving 29 doses of various chemotherapy agents and targeted therapies.

Main Results:

• The total cost for the analyzed cancer treatments was $14,101,596.39.
• Simulating dose banding resulted in a projected cost of $11,185,371.49.
• The potential cost savings through dose banding were calculated to be 20.7%.

Conclusions:

• Dose standardization through dose banding can significantly decrease cancer treatment drug costs.
• This strategy offers a viable approach to optimizing healthcare resource allocation in oncology.
• Further implementation of dose banding could enhance access to cancer treatments by reducing financial burdens.