Cancer patients can ’t afford care

Lost in the debate on “Trumpcare” versus “Obamacare” is the proper consideration of the factors driving increasing health care costs. In cancer, the pharmaceutical industry plays a major role setting drug prices that exceed reasonable returns on research and development. The economics of treatment were again apparent during the plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in June, aka the cancer community’s Super Bowl. Two years ago, Dr. Leonard Saltz of Memorial Sloan Kettering implored us to pay attention to the cost of drugs being presented, emphasizing during the plenary session, “These drugs cost too much!” I kept these words in mind as I listened to the presentations this year about advances in treating prostate and breast cancer. For prostate cancer, the presentation was regarding abiraterone, which works by more effectively shutting down male hormone production. The study asked the question whether, in more aggressive cases, it made sense to start using this pill earlier in treatment. The results were remarkable, starting this drug sooner could potentially help cancer patients live for years more. These results were similar to results seen in a trial presented two years earlier, where patients with aggressive prostate cancer received an intravenous chemotherapy drug docetaxel. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Cancer Source Type: blogs