title: Patient access to new cancer drugs in the United States and Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In light of the current debate on the use value and potential impact of comparative effectiveness research on patient access, it may prove insightful to compare a health-care system that systematically bases its reimbursement decisions on comparative effectiveness evidence with the United States (US) system that hitherto has only been informed by such evidence on an ad hoc basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  For a set of 2000-2009 approved new molecular entities and biologics indicated for cancer, we compared patient access between US Medicare and Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) beneficiaries. Here, access is defined in terms of marketing availability, payer coverage, and patient out-of-pocket costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although 34 drugs and biologics were approved for cancer in the US, just more than one-third (35%) were ultimately covered by the Australian PBS. The PBS also placed more restrictions on use. On the other hand, prices and patient out-of-pocket costs were greater for the US Medicare population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis points to a possible trade-off in market access to oncology drugs. Although more oncology drugs are available in the US and a higher percentage of available drugs are covered, the evidence-based approach adopted by Australia has contributed to reduced prices, thereby improving affordability for payers and patients for those medications deemed cost-effective by the reimbursement authority.
authors.affiliation: Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics*; D001315:Australia; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013222:State Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents