WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR LUNG CANCER TREATMENT: PATIENT VERSUS GENERAL PUBLIC VALUES.
OBJECTIVE
Lung cancer has been the most common cancer since 1985, accounting for 12-13 percent of cancer cases worldwide. Newer targeted therapies with potential increased survival benefits may not be affordable to patients. Many countries use arbitrary thresholds to determine whether a medical intervention is cost-effective. As such, many effective, albeit expensive, therapies are not being reimbursed. To understand the value placed on effective therapies, this study evaluates the patient and public willingness to pay (WTP) for a quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) for lung cancer treatments using Thailand as an example.


METHODS
A total of 300 subjects responded to hypothetical lung cancer health states, described by three levels of severity and two levels of side effects, and provided their valuation of the level of quality of life and their WTP to improve from one state to another.


RESULTS
The patients with the lowest income and general public were willing to pay more than twice the threshold for acceptability in Thailand (US Dollar 5,123/QALY [Thai Baht 160,000/QALY]). This increased significantly by wealth category. Patients' WTP was associated with quality of life, financial difficulties, health insurance, diarrhea, and wealth.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study highlights the value patients and general public place on effective lung cancer therapies.
Chiang Mai University.
Sumitra
S
Thongprasert
Adelphi Valuesbcrawford@jp.imshealth.com.
Bruce
B
Crawford
Chulalongkorn University.
Rungpetch
R
Sakulbumrungsil
Monash University Sunway Campus.
Nathorn
N
Chaiyakunapruk
Pfizer(Thailand).
Sirinthip
S
Petcharapiruch
Pfizer(Thailand).
Jittrakul
J
Leartsakulpanitch
Chiang Mai University.
Unchalee
U
Permsuwan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Cancer treatment; Health economics; Lung cancer; Pharmacoeconomics; Willingness-to-pay