Cancer Care: The Real-World Economics and Value Realities

Conference Correspondent

During the December 9 session of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care (AVBCC) 10th Annual Summit, industry leaders discussed the underlying trends and economic realities of cancer care in the United States and global markets. Burt Zweigenhaft, PhD, D.Litt., Co-Founder of AVBCC, moderated this discussion alongside panelists Murray Aitken, MBA, Executive Director of IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science; Ira Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, Chief Medical Officer of Health New England; and Bruce Pyenson, FSA, MAAA, Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman.

Mr Aitken presented new data on trends that have been occurring throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to remote abilities has made a big impact on healthcare, and Mr Aitken reported that oncology telehealth claims have stabilized at approximately 4% of total physician visits. The volume growth for oral oncology therapeutics is trending significantly higher than intravenous (IV) formulations, which can be attributed to less in-office visits for patients to receive IV therapies.

In-person promotion to oncologists by manufacturers has remained lower than baseline and has shifted significantly to virtual interactions. The lack of access for drug representatives has softened the demand for newly launched drugs in oncology. Although FDA approvals have not slowed during this time, relaying the information on new drugs has been a challenge. Mr Aitken said the economic impact of COVID-19 on patients and practices is still a growing concern.

Other hot topics from this discussion included the backlog in care, the decrease in elective surgeries, and the importance of cancer screenings and early diagnosis.

You can still register for the AVBCC Summit! With more than 40 webcasts and other sessions, registering gives you access to the archived sessions and the future agenda, which is packed with timely insights and no-holds-barred debates that you need to understand today’s cancer care ecosystem and trends for the future.

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