drugs: pay for performance wouldn't work?

October 25, 2011

Swiss Drug Giant Offers To Pay Hospitals When Cancer Drug Fails

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copying from the article:

" In an innovative " Pay for Performance " contract, the Swiss-based

pharmaceutical company is presently making hospitals in Germany the

following offer: they would be reimbursed for Roche’s Bevacizumab cancer

medication (trade name Avastin) if it failed to halt the progress of a

cancer. The offer is valid for first treatment of advanced tumors of the

intestine, breast, lung or kidneys. Per month, the cost of treating a cancer

patient with Avastin in Germany amounts to around 3,300 euros.

" It’s a real scandal, " says Wolfgang Becker-Brüser of the Arznei-Telegramm,

an independent clearinghouse for medication information for doctors and

pharmacists. The current issue of the Telegramm features the story. " This is

an invitation to treat with Bevacizumab patients whose chances of being

helped by the drug are very slim. " It could even mean that more effective

treatments were withheld from patients.

" We stand by the contract, " said Roche spokesman Hans-Ulrich Jelitto, adding

that it also represented a contribution to lowering costs in the health

sector. "

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Which goes to show that every solution, no matter how reasonable at first

glance, has a potential undesired side effect.

....However, if physicians follow the standard of care (as determined by

experts in the field (and based on data from well done clinical trials -

hopefully with input from patient advocates) the problem of giving incentive

to use sub-standard care should not be a big deal to protect against IMO.

__________________

All the best, ~ Karl

Caregiver to spouse - 14 yr survivor of FL; President, Patients Against

All the best,

~ Karl

Patients Against Lymphoma

Patients Helping Patients

Non-profit | Independent | Evidence-based

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