The ESMO European Consortium Study on the availability, out-of-pocket costs and accessibility of antineoplastic medicines in Europe was published in Annals of Oncology in August 2016. It is a landmark study that lays out the extent of current inequities in accessing cancer medicines and launches the discussion as to how to address them.
Study objectives
- To provide European health authorities with data on the availability of licensed anti-neoplastic medicines across Europe
- To report on the actual availability of anti-neoplastic medicines to patients when they are prescribed and when patients can afford them
- To provide data so that the European Union and the European Medicines Agency can decide how to best address and resolve the challenges identified
Study results
The results show there are large and clinically significant differences in the formulary availability, out-of-pocket costs and actual availability for many anticancer medicines in Europe. These differences are most pronounced in countries with lower levels of economic development and low GDP per capita, particularly in Eastern Europe. The potential impact of these disparities is greatest in the care of patients with incurable diseases where improved gains in patient outcomes are dependent on the availability of expensive anticancer agents. Shortages are also a major issue and affect even essential medicines on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines.
Listen to the project leaders speak about the importance of the project
International presentations
Find out about the international presentations of this study here.
Study partners
The ESMO European Consortium Study on the Availability of Anti-neoplastic Medicines was conducted under the auspices of the ESMO Global Policy Committee in collaboration with:
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP) - liaising with the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP)
- Kings College London Institute of Cancer Policy
- Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)