New cancer drug cash must be used wisely
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
One of the most intractable problems facing healthcare providers is how to pay for expensive new treatments for serious conditions such as cancer. The cost of a single dose of some of the newer oncology products runs to thousands of dollars. In the UK, the issue is one that frequently hits the headlines as new treatments seen as life-saving by patients are rejected on the grounds of poor value for money. Last year, the government went some way to addressing public concerns by promising extra funding for expensive cancer drugs in England.