Impact of a New Cost-Effectiveness Threshold Implementation on Cancer Formulary Decisions in Jordan

• Published in: PharmacoEconomics - open Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 137 - 145
• Main Authors: Treish, Imad, Al Rabayah, Abeer, Jaddoua, Saad, Tuffaha, Haitham
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.03.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cancer therapies; Cost analysis; Drug formularies; Expenditures; FDA approval; GDP; Gross Domestic Product; Health technology assessment; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacoeconomics; Pharmacoeconomics and Health Outcomes; Pharmacy; Practical Application; Prices; United States > US
• ISSN: 2509-4262; 2509-4254
• DOI: 10.1007/s41669-021-00293-4

Rising prices of novel cancer medications are increasing the economic burden from cancer in Jordan, risking the ability of cancer patients to access lifesaving and life-extending treatments. Furthermore, in the absence of a national health technology assessment (HTA) framework, medication prices in Jordan are set based on manufacturers’ pricing considerations and not a value proposition. In response to these challenges, King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), the de facto national cancer institute, developed a first-in-country, cancer-specific, cost-effectiveness threshold (CET) to aid institutional decision makers in approving only cost-effective medications. Over the past 10 years, cost-effectiveness analyses based on this CET have led to the introduction of > 70% of requested novel cancer medications after manufacturers agreed to lower prices, beyond registration prices, to meet the CET. Future work is warranted to empirically derive a CET for Jordan to better guide reimbursement decisions.