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. 2021 Jul 6;21(1):661.
doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06627-6.

Assessing the prices and affordability of oncology medicines for three common cancers within the private sector of South Africa

Phyllis Ocran Mattila  1 , Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar  1 , Fatima Suleman  2
Affiliations

Assessing the prices and affordability of oncology medicines for three common cancers within the private sector of South Africa

Phyllis Ocran Mattila et al. BMC Health Serv Res. .

Abstract

Background: Prices of cancer medicines are a major contributor to the cost of treatment for cancer patients and the comparison of these cost needs to be assessed.

Objectives: To assess the prices of cancer medicines for the three most common cancers ((breast, prostate and colorectal) in the private healthcare sector of South Africa.

Methods: The methodology was adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO)/ Health Action International (HAI) methodology for measuring medicine prices. The Single Exit Price (SEP) variations between product types of the same medicine between the highest- and lowest-priced product and between Originator Brand (OB) and its Lowest Priced Generic (LPG) of the same medicine brand was compared, as of March 2020. The affordability of those medicines for cancer usage based on treatment affordability in relation to the daily wage of the unskilled Lowest-Paid Government Worker (LPGW) was also determined. Also, a comparison of the proportion of the population below the poverty line (PL) before (Ipre) and after (Ipost) procurement of the cancer medicines was determined.

Results: SEP Price differences ranged from 25.46 to 97.33% between highest- and lowest-priced products and a price variation of 72.09% more for the OB than the LPG medicine, except for one LPG that was more expensive than the OB. Affordability calculations showed that All OB treatments for all three cancers (breast, prostate and colorectal), except for paclitaxel 300 mg (0.2 days wage) and Fluorouracil (Fluroblastin) 500 mg (0.3 days wage) costs respectively were more than 1 day's wage, with patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer needing 32.5 days wages in order to afford a standard course of treatment for a month.

Conclusion: There was a considerable variation in the price of different brands of cancer medicines available in the South African private sector.

Keywords: Affordability; Cancer; Medicine; Oncology; Pricing; South Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
shows the affordability data for the selected cancer medicines
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization. Facts Sheet. 2018. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Accessed 5 July 2020.
    1. International Agency for Research on Cancer. South Africa: Source: Globocan 2020. The global Cancer observatory, the World Health Organization, December 2020. https://cansa.org.za/files/2021/02/IARC-Globocan-SA-2020-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
    1. Staff Writer. Massive rise in cancer related treatment in South Africa – these are the most common types among men and women. Businesstech, 8 February 2020. https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/371244/massive-rise-in-cancer-....
    1. World Health Organization. Technical Report: Pricing of cancer medicines and its impacts. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2018.
    1. Worldometer. South African Population. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/south-africa-population/. Accessed 12 April 2021.

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