CER Daily Newsfeed

Cancer Drugs Cost More Than Ever. They Often Don't Extend Lives

(5/28, Robert Langreth, Tanaz Meghjani and Rachael Dottle, Bloomberg) reports “...Some drugs are game-changers, especially new immune therapies that teach the body itself how to destroy cancer cells. But the downside of approving so many drugs with so few hurdles is now clear: Many don't prolong life at all, or do so only modestly, with problematic side effects. Indeed, fewer than half of the cancer drugs approved since 2000 that Bloomberg News reviewed based on their FDA labels have ever been shown to extend patient survival for any of their approved uses. Even fewer have been shown to improve cancer-related symptoms or quality of life. In the past decade alone, drugmakers have made more than $50 billion on cancer drugs that so far have demonstrated no survival benefit, Bloomberg's analysis shows.” Subscription Required

Cassidy Argues Allowing Drug Companies to Profit Helps Medical Industry Discover New Cures

(5/28, Elaine Mallon, The Washington Examiner) reports “...[Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)], who supports lowering the costs of prescription drugs, said that drug companies must be profitable to seek innovative treatments. ‘Health care should be about sustainability,’ Cassidy said in an interview with Punchbowl News. ‘Now, we can toss that to the side and say we don’t need innovation, in which case we’d never find a cure for Alzheimer’s, we’d never find better cures for cancers.’” Subscription Required

UK And US Regulators In Sync On RWD External Control Arms

(5/29, Vibha Sharma, Pink Sheet) reports “...The UK regulator’s draft guideline on the use of external control arms based on real-world data reflects concepts similar to those outlined by the US Food and Drug Administration.” Subscription Required

Taiwan, UK Stage Health Technology Assessment Workshop

(5/29, Taiwan Today) reports “...During the event, NICE experts Brad Groves and Juan Yanguela shared their respective managed access agreement and health policy assessment experience, data collection strategies and communication with parties of interest, among other key topics.” Full