My recent publication in the ASCO Journal:
Key Objective
Blood cancers are a leading health problem in the United States and India. We compare the cost of and access to novel drugs for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and lymphoma between the United States and India during the last 5 years.
Knowledge Generated
Delivery of cancer care in the United States is different from that in India. In the United States, around 90% of the population has health insurance. In India, a majority of the population pays for medical expenses out of pocket. The cost of drug development is high, and most novel drugs are initially developed and marketed in the United States, but it takes several years before the drugs become available in India. The development of biosimilars has increased access to and affordability of biologics for the treatment of CLL and lymphoma in India.
Relevance
The development of biosimilars has increased access to and affordability of biologics for the treatment of CLL and lymphoma inIndia. The overall outcome and quality of life is rather similar in the two countries with the advent of biosimilars and generics.Future strategies to ensure universal access include expanding the availability of biosimilars, capping drug prices, expanding insurance coverage, and constructing a hub-and-spoke rural outreach model to make novel drugs accessible to all patients.
