The cost of new therapies...like TKIs

[Cllcanada]

This article deals with CML, but what it raises may be the future of TKI use in CLL as well...

Will these new treatments simply be too expensive for use in 'socialized healthcare systems'?

Price of drugs for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), reflection of the unsustainable cancer drug prices: perspective of CML Experts

'As a group of more than 100 experts in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), we draw attention to the high prices of cancer drugs, with the particular focus on the prices of approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of CML. This editorial addresses the multiple factors involved in cancer drug pricing, their impact on individual patients and healthcare policies, and argues for the need to lower the prices of cancer drugs to allow more patients to afford them and to maintain sound long-term healthcare policies.'

'Of the 12 drugs approved by the FDA for various cancer indications in 2012, 11 were priced above $100,000 per year. Cancer drug prices have almost doubled from a decade ago, from an average of $5,000 per month to more than $10,000 per month.'

'In many countries, an additional year lived is judged to be “worth” about $50-100,000. In England, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) values a year lived at about 30,000 British pounds, or about $50,000.'

Hmmmmmmm...

bloodjournal.hematologylibr...

Edit

New York Times Article:

nytimes.com/2013/04/26/busi...

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Sobering news Chris. The health budget in Australia regularly outstrips inflation and I'm sure Australia is far from unique in that regard. Eventually something has to give.

[jangreen]

Yes drugs are expensive at first ( remember AIDS drugs being left on the shelves of drugs companies because no one could afford them) but because of large scale use their price comes down. Its what you do in the meantime that's the tricky bit.

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Large scale use of a CLL only drug? The market is tiny, worldwide...