Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis for patients and their families. However, there’s hope, and the commitment to fight this disease by improving access to cutting-edge medicines and developing promising treatments is ongoing. The goal? To enhance the quality of life and extend remission durations.
The Health Technology Assessment of Cancer Innovation (HTAiC) initiative is central to this commitment to providing value-based healthcare. The goal is to enhance understanding of the barriers for accessing cancer medicines and identify alternative methods for evaluating and assessing these medications. The initiative also aims to foster open dialogue with multidisciplinary stakeholders and decision-makers. The ultimate objective is to produce collaborative and sustainable approaches that ensure timely access for patients.
The Challenge: Delayed Access to New Cancer Medicines
Recent scientific and treatment breakthroughs have brought about a paradigm shift in approval procedures by regulatory agencies in Europe and the USA. These agencies have adjusted their evidence requirements and/or accelerated the approval of innovative cancer drugs. However, the methods of national Health Technology Assessment (HTA) agencies in evaluating the benefits of these new therapies have been slow to adapt, leading to delays in access for patients who require immediate intervention. [1]
The Solution: Collaboration Among Stakeholders
Access solutions can be developed and implemented by initiating early discussions and involving all stakeholders, including patients and groups that represent them, policymakers, HTA representatives, regulators, healthcare professionals, and peers in the industry. Janssen supports the evolution of HTA methods to address current access challenges and has offered key recommendations that include:
- HTA Processes
- HTA Methodology
- Health Economic Evaluation
- Access & Adoption
“Scientific advances in oncology are accelerating, and we’re experiencing a wave of innovation, with more cancer treatments available today than ever before. Despite this exciting progress in cancer care, patients can still face delays in accessing novel therapies, with the average wait to reimbursement of cancer therapies in Europe currently exceeding 18 months,” says Martin Price, Vice President of Health Economics, Market Access and Reimbursement, J&J Innovative Medicine EMEA.
References: [1] EFPIA Patient W.A.I.T. Indicator https://www.efpia.eu/media/676539/efpia-patient-wait-indicator_update-ju…CP-459038 September 2024
