The costs of dozens of cancer drugs were about 2.3 times higher in the U.S. than in Europe even though they had similar clinical benefits, according to a study cited by STAT.
In the U.S., the median monthly treatment costs for cancer drugs was about $13,200, and in the U.K. it was about $6,200.
The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, also found that there was generally no association between the clinical benefits of dozens of cancer drugs and their costs, STAT reported.
As an example, researchers found a prostate cancer drug made by Sanofi called Jevtana had a lower clinical benefit score than Zytiga, a prostate cancer drug made by Johnson & Johnson, but cost nearly the same in the U.S.
The drugs also cost significantly more in the U.S. than in Germany. In the U.S., the price of the two drugs ranged from $10,500 to $10,900 each, and in Germany, they cost $3,300 to $3,340 each.
Researchers concluded that prices of cancer drugs should be better aligned with their clinical importance to improve access for patients, according to STAT.
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