Value of new cancer medicines to patients evolve overtime, PhRMA report shows

Following Food and Drug Administration approval of a new cancer medicine, it often takes years of additional research to fully understand the value of the medicine to patients, according to "Recognizing Value in Oncology Innovation," a new paper released by the Boston Healthcare Associates that was commissioned by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

Examining four separate cancer therapies, the paper identifies five key pathways through which additional clinical value is recognized over time. The paper also underscores the importance of policymakers to recognize how progress against cancer continues to evolve over time when considering policies that impact patient access to innovative treatments.

“Over the span of several decades, incredible advancements in cancer innovation have resulted in millions of patients’ lives being enhanced and even saved. And as we learn more about this complex disease, many generations of patients will continue to experience an evolution in the way they receive care, particularly as more targeted cancer therapies are discovered,” said John Castellani, president and chief executive of PhRMA. “As we seek to move the science forward in the oncology field, it is important to keep our focus on the millions of patients awaiting better treatments, as well as those who have benefited from recent advances that have helped them beat cancer,” he added.