Background

There are concerns that high prices of cancer medicines may limit patient access. Since information on prices for cancer medicines and their impact on affordability is lacking for several countries, particularly for lower income countries, this study surveys prices of originator cancer medicines in Europe and Latin America and assesses their affordability.

Methods

For 19 cancer medicines, public procurement and ex-factory prices, as of 2017, were surveyed in five Latin American (LATAM) countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru) and 11 European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Price data (public procurement prices in LATAM and ex-factory prices in Europe) in US dollar purchasing power parities (PPP) were analyzed per defined daily dose. Affordability was measured by setting medicines prices in relation to national minimum wages.

Results

The prices of cancer medicines varied considerably between countries. In European countries with higher levels of income, PPP-adjusted prices tended to be lower than in European countries of lower income and LATAM countries. Except for one medicine, all surveyed medicines were considered unaffordable in most countries. In European countries of lower income and LATAM countries, more than 15 days’ worth of minimum wages would be required by a worker to purchase one defined daily dose of several of the studied medicines.

Conclusions

The high prices and large unaffordability of cancer medicines call for strengthening pricing policies with the aim of ensuring affordable treatment in cancer care.

中文翻译：

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欧美16个国家抗癌药价格及可负担性比较

背景

有人担心癌症药物的高价可能会限制患者的使用。由于一些国家（尤其是低收入国家）缺乏有关癌症药物价格及其对可负担性影响的信息，因此本研究调查了欧洲和拉丁美洲原研癌症药物的价格并评估了它们的可负担性。

方法

对于 19 种抗癌药物，截至 2017 年，在五个拉丁美洲 (LATAM) 国家（巴西、智利、哥伦比亚、墨西哥和秘鲁）和 11 个欧洲国家（奥地利、法国、德国、希腊、匈牙利、荷兰、波兰、罗马尼亚、西班牙、瑞典和英国）。以美元购买力平价 (PPP) 表示的价格数据（拉丁美洲的公共采购价格和欧洲的出厂价格）按规定的每日剂量进行分析。可负担性是通过设定与国家最低工资相关的药品价格来衡量的。

结果

各国癌症药物的价格差异很大。在收入水平较高的欧洲国家，经购买力平价调整后的价格往往低于收入较低的欧洲国家和拉丁美洲国家。除一种药物外，所有接受调查的药物在大多数国家都被认为是买不起的。在低收入的欧洲国家和拉丁美洲国家，工人需要超过 15 天的最低工资才能购买确定的每日剂量的几种研究药物。

结论

癌症药物的高价格和巨大的负担不起要求加强定价政策，以确保癌症治疗的负担得起的治疗。