By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Cancer Drugs: Why the High and Rising Prices?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Cancer Drugs: Why the High and Rising Prices?
BusinessPublic Health

Cancer Drugs: Why the High and Rising Prices?

DavidEWilliams
DavidEWilliams
Share
2 Min Read
SHARE
Cancer drugs. Good stuff cheap?

When Americans talk, pharmaceutical companies listen.

Cancer drugs. Good stuff cheap?

When Americans talk, pharmaceutical companies listen. And what they’ve heard is that initiatives to contain or regulate medical costs get labeled as “rationing,” a word with very un-American connotations.

While politicians wring their hands, pricing strategists at pharma and biotech companies take action by charging high and rising prices for products for life-threatening illnesses. Cancer is Exhibit A, with many drugs costing more than $100,000 per year of treatment. A JAMA Oncology paper reviewed wholesale prices for cancer drugs approved over the past five years and found that prices are not correlated with a drug’s novelty or efficacy.

The authors conclude:

More Read

How Doctors Are Trapped, Part II
Can a $3 Million Prize Solve a $2.5 Billion Dollar Problem?
Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
Free Physician Rating and Medical Q&A Forum at Avvo.com
Fostering Innovation in Academic Medicine

“Our results suggest that current pricing models are not rational but simply reflect what the market will bear.”

Now it’s possible that there is a greater correlation between actual negotiated prices and novelty or efficacy that isn’t showing up in the researchers’ data on wholesale prices. Still, the main conclusions are likely to stand, and spending on cancer drugs is sure to grow as more drug developers respond to market signals and develop new products.

If those who pay the bills, including private insurers, employers, and the government want to do something about cancer drug prices, they’ll need to embrace objective ways to measure cost effectiveness, and not be afraid of an opponent throwing around the “rationing” word. They’ll have to couple that approach with a commitment to personalized (or “precision”) medicine so that individuals get the specific drugs that are most effective for them, even if they don’t work as well for the general population.

The outcry over Sovaldi pricing for Hepatitis C has shown that there is at least some appetite to take on drug prices, but I don’t expect any dramatic clampdown on cancer drug prices in the near term.

Image: Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

TAGGED:cancerpharma
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Collaboration Is the Prescription for Better Patient Care
Health
October 20, 2025
Epidemiological Health Benefits
Personal and Epidemiological Health Benefits of Blood Pressure Management
Health
October 13, 2025
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries: What Families Need to Know
Policy & Law
October 10, 2025
Remote Monitoring touchpoints
Remote Monitoring Touchpoints Patients Will Actually Follow
Technology
October 9, 2025

You Might also Like

Concierge Medicine Will be Driven by Looming Doctor Shortage

September 13, 2012

EHR Implementation Struggles: Three Ways Forward

July 8, 2013
Hospital Marketing, Digital Marketing, Video Marketing, Online Marketing
BusinessSocial Media

Why Video Matters in Hospital Marketing

August 25, 2014

AdvaMed 2011 Featuring Over 70 Company Presentations

September 9, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?