Expensive cancer drugs: Availability and economic sustainability

The treatment of cancer has undergone a medical revolution over the last 20 years due to the development of new drugs such as targeted therapies, immunological junction point inhibitors and genetically modified lymphocyte cells (CAR T cells). These treatments have high production costs, they are sometimes prescribed for a long time, and the duration of treatment of cancer patients is prolonged due to the use of these products in the 3rd and more lines of treatment. The prevalence of many cancers has increased and therefore the cost of their long-term management as well. The development of anti-cancer drugs in two phases, innovation within start-ups often originating from universities, and then production and marketing managed by the large pharmaceutical groups, contribute to offering prices at a level unknown until now. The speed of their marketing authorization is also a concern, especially when evidence of effectiveness in terms of a significant increase in survival is lacking. It is therefore justified to recommend a certain vigilance on the interpretation of early trial results. However, the value of providing anti-cancer drugs to patients with rare cancer subtypes cannot be over-looked. Because France is lagging behind in this area, there is a need to provide strong financial support to start-ups and the French cancer drug industry. The establishment of a non-profit company with a public-private partnership is encouraged to supply the necessary volumes of drugs to hospitals and clinics at a fixed price.(c) 2023 l'Academie nationale de medecine. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.