Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Background Each country manages access to anticancer drugs differently due to variations in the structure and financing of the health system, but a summary of the various strategies used is absent. This study aimed to review and summarize financing strategies implemented across countries to facilit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2022-09-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Health Policy and Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4145_363d644300e44c17d42c75f7dbacb14c.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811158710047735808 |
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| author | Chanthawat Patikorn Suthira Taychakhoonavudh Rungpetch Sakulbumrungsil Dennis Ross-Degnan Puree Anantachoti |
| author_facet | Chanthawat Patikorn Suthira Taychakhoonavudh Rungpetch Sakulbumrungsil Dennis Ross-Degnan Puree Anantachoti |
| author_sort | Chanthawat Patikorn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Each country manages access to anticancer drugs differently due to variations in the structure and financing of the health system, but a summary of the various strategies used is absent. This study aimed to review and summarize financing strategies implemented across countries to facilitate access to high-cost anticancer drugs. Methods We conducted a systematic review of articles referenced in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science through May 12, 2021. Articles published in the English language from 2000 that describe strategies implemented in different countries to facilitate access to high-cost anticancer drugs were included. Letters, news articles, and proposed strategies were excluded. Quality assessment was not performed as we aimed to summarize the strategies. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis. A review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42018068616).Results The review included 204 studies from 176 countries. Three themes of financing strategies were identified: (1) Basic pharmaceutical reimbursement and pricing policies, (2) Alternative funding strategies specific to high-cost drugs, and (3) Financial assistance for individual patients. Access in most countries depends mainly on basic pharmaceutical reimbursement policies (165 of 176 countries). Apart from that, high-income countries (HICs) tended to use funding strategies targeting high-cost drugs (72% of HICs vs 0%-24% of the rest), such as managed entry agreements (MEAs) or dedicated funds for high-cost drugs. In contrast, lower-income countries tended to implement financial assistance programs for cancer patients as a tool to increase access (32% of HICs vs 62%-79% of the rest).Conclusion Many countries have implemented a combination of strategies to increase access to high-cost anticancer drugs. Most low- and middle-income countries utilized placement of anticancer drugs on a national list of essential medicines and patient assistance programs (PAPs) to facilitate access, while many HICs implemented a broader range of strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:28:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ee5e735111e41ebb47101886ab31d19 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2322-5939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:28:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Kerman University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Health Policy and Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ee5e735111e41ebb47101886ab31d192023-03-07T09:11:35ZengKerman University of Medical SciencesInternational Journal of Health Policy and Management2322-59392022-09-011191625163410.34172/ijhpm.2021.1384145Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the LiteratureChanthawat Patikorn0Suthira Taychakhoonavudh1Rungpetch Sakulbumrungsil2Dennis Ross-Degnan3Puree Anantachoti4Department of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Landmark Center, Boston, MA, USADepartment of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandBackground Each country manages access to anticancer drugs differently due to variations in the structure and financing of the health system, but a summary of the various strategies used is absent. This study aimed to review and summarize financing strategies implemented across countries to facilitate access to high-cost anticancer drugs. Methods We conducted a systematic review of articles referenced in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science through May 12, 2021. Articles published in the English language from 2000 that describe strategies implemented in different countries to facilitate access to high-cost anticancer drugs were included. Letters, news articles, and proposed strategies were excluded. Quality assessment was not performed as we aimed to summarize the strategies. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis. A review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42018068616).Results The review included 204 studies from 176 countries. Three themes of financing strategies were identified: (1) Basic pharmaceutical reimbursement and pricing policies, (2) Alternative funding strategies specific to high-cost drugs, and (3) Financial assistance for individual patients. Access in most countries depends mainly on basic pharmaceutical reimbursement policies (165 of 176 countries). Apart from that, high-income countries (HICs) tended to use funding strategies targeting high-cost drugs (72% of HICs vs 0%-24% of the rest), such as managed entry agreements (MEAs) or dedicated funds for high-cost drugs. In contrast, lower-income countries tended to implement financial assistance programs for cancer patients as a tool to increase access (32% of HICs vs 62%-79% of the rest).Conclusion Many countries have implemented a combination of strategies to increase access to high-cost anticancer drugs. Most low- and middle-income countries utilized placement of anticancer drugs on a national list of essential medicines and patient assistance programs (PAPs) to facilitate access, while many HICs implemented a broader range of strategies.https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4145_363d644300e44c17d42c75f7dbacb14c.pdfexpensiveantineoplastic drugreimbursement |
| spellingShingle | Chanthawat Patikorn Suthira Taychakhoonavudh Rungpetch Sakulbumrungsil Dennis Ross-Degnan Puree Anantachoti Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature International Journal of Health Policy and Management expensive antineoplastic drug reimbursement |
| title | Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_full | Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_fullStr | Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_short | Financing Strategies to Facilitate Access to High-Cost Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_sort | financing strategies to facilitate access to high cost anticancer drugs a systematic review of the literature |
| topic | expensive antineoplastic drug reimbursement |
| url | https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4145_363d644300e44c17d42c75f7dbacb14c.pdf |
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