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: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Says No to Cancer Drug Zaltrap for Colorectal Cancer-Avastin Works Just As Well and the Cost is Half
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 > Business > Memorial Sloan-Kettering Says No to Cancer Drug Zaltrap for Colorectal Cancer-Avastin Works Just As Well and the Cost is Half
BusinessNews

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Says No to Cancer Drug Zaltrap for Colorectal Cancer-Avastin Works Just As Well and the Cost is Half

BarbaraDuck
BarbaraDuck
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

I think we may see more of these types of studies and the two doctors do state they have been paid consulting fees imagefrom Genentech (Roche) who makes Avastin.  Avastin has been around a long time and it is not cheap, costing patients about $5000 a month, but Zaltrap

I think we may see more of these types of studies and the two doctors do state they have been paid consulting fees imagefrom Genentech (Roche) who makes Avastin.  Avastin has been around a long time and it is not cheap, costing patients about $5000 a month, but Zaltrap costs twice that.  Cancer drugs and chemotherapy treatments are all over the map as far as cost.  For Medicare patients, the out of pocket cost would be $2200 for Zaltrap. 



AT Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, we recently made a decision that should have been a no-brainer: we are not going to give a phenomenally expensive new cancer drug to our patients.

The reasons are simple: The drug, Zaltrap, has proved to be no better than a similar medicine we already have for advanced colorectal cancer, while its price — at $11,063 on average for a month of treatment — is more than twice as high.

Which brings us back to our decision on Zaltrap. In patients with advancing, metastatic colorectal cancer, the new drug, approved by the F.D.A. in August and jointly marketed by Sanofi and Regeneron, offers the same survival benefit as Genentech’s Avastin, which works through a similar molecular mechanism. When compared with the standard chemotherapy regimen alone, adding either medicine has been shown to prolong patient lives by a median of 1.4 months. Major clinical practice guidelines, like those from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, agree that Zaltrap is no better than Avastin in this setting. (Full disclosure: Two of us, Dr. Bach and Dr. Saltz, have been paid consulting fees by Genentech.)

The writers are doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Peter B. Bach is the director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes, Leonard B. Saltz is chief of the gastrointestinal oncology service and chairman of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee, and Robert E. Wittes is the physician in chief.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/opinion/a-hospital-says-no-to-an-11000-a-month-cancer-drug.html

 

More Read

Temporary Health Plans With Low Benefits Continue to Grow
How to Recover After a Slip and Fall Injury: 4 Dos and Don’ts
Highmark’s Care Cost Estimator Looks Promising
Medical Technology Redefined by Forces and Innovation
Health Care Buzz Today

TAGGED:cancerhealthcare costspharma
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

ICD-10
eHealthHospital AdministrationMedical RecordsPolicy & Law

Ready or Not: ICD-10 Will Go Live as Planned Oct. 1st

April 3, 2014

Privacy and Security: Joke or No Joke?

November 22, 2011
News

A Decade of War Pushes PTSD To the Forefront in Healthcare Concerns

June 29, 2012
Lifestyle Choices That Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Cancer

6 Lifestyle Choices That Reduce the Risk of Cancer

January 30, 2025
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?