Posted by Michael Wonder on 12 Sep 2018
A breakthrough cancer drug has been approved. Now comes the battle over the price.
12 Septemner 2018 - Novartis' breakthrough cancer drug Kymriah has been approved in Europe. Now comes the debate about its hefty cost.
In Germany, Novartis has set a price of 320,000 euros ($371,000) that’s now subject to negotiation with authorities, Pascal Touchon, head of the drug maker’s cell and gene therapy business, said in an interview. That’s the list price to treat a form of childhood leukaemia and a type of lymphoma in adults. Similar discussions are playing out elsewhere in Europe.
Drug makers like Novartis and Gilead Sciences are seeking coverage for a new wave of one-time therapies that offer potential cures for a range of devastating diseases but carry big price tags. While patients and their families clamour for the life-saving treatments, governments want to increase access while curbing health spending.
