Indirect Costs Of Oral Versus Non-Oral Therapies In Hematologic Malignancies: A Systematic Literature Review

Introduction: The treatment landscape for hematologic malignancies is evolving rapidly, and a range of therapeutic options with differing routes of administration is now available. The shifting dynamics of these novel therapies and increasing total treatment costs highlight the importance of value-based healthcare decisions that take patient, payer, and societal perspectives into account. It is therefore increasingly important to consider both direct and indirect costs when evaluating therapeutic options. Reducing healthcare visits for administration of non-oral therapies (injectable and/or mixed therapies) results in indirect cost savings and is of particular relevance during the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic where there are distinct challenges with respect to visiting hospital settings. However, the indirect cost savings of utilizing oral versus non-oral treatments have yet to be fully assessed from a patient and societal perspective. The objective of this review was to assess the differences in indirect non-treatment-related costs between oral and non-oral therapies for hematologic malignancies.