Is Avastin worth $55,000 for cancer patients?
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
Avastin, an anticancer drug by Genentech, costs as much as $55,000 for a single course of therapy. It earns Roche, which recently acquired Genentech, nearly $5 billion annually.
And what do patients get for this extraordinary price tag?
On average, about two months of increased life span, reports MIT’s Technology Review.
Avastin is unique, and fascinating to researchers and doctors, because it “uses a wholly different mechanism than the highly toxic chemotherapies that try to kill tumors.” Avastin is an antibody that attempts to cut off the blood supply to the tumor. It is currently used to treat cancers of the colon, breast, lung and brain.
Avastin is one of most expensive drugs that is widely marketed in the United States. Insurance companies often require patients to pay for a significant percentage of the drug out of pocket, rather than a flat co-pay. Some insurance companies are beginning to balk at paying for the drug at all, citing the low benefit-to-cost ratio.
Meanwhile, in countries like Canada and the U.K., which have national healthcare systems, governments have restricted Avastin’s use.
Researchers and clinicians say that Avastin’s potential to fight cancer is significant, and that through continued use in various treatment combinations with patients, far greater benefits can be achieved over time.
So, is Avastin worth $55,000 for adding two months of life? My guess is your answer depends on whether someone you know needs it — and on who’s paying for it.
