Price of cancer drugs varies by up to 388% between European countries, Australia and New Zealand

5 December 2015

The price of new cancer drugs varies widely (from 28% to 388%) between high-income countries in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, new research published in The Lancet Oncology has found.

The study reveals that overall the UK and Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Spain, and Portugal pay the lowest average unit manufacturer prices for a group of 31 originator cancer drugs (new drugs under patent), whereas Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany pay the highest prices.

The greatest differences in price were noted for gemcitabine - used in the treatment of various cancers including breast, lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer - that costs 209 euros ($221) per vial in New Zealand and just 43 euros in Australia. Zoledronic acid, for the prevention of bone complications in advanced cancer, costs 330 euros per vial in New Zealand but 128 euros in Greece.

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