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SUMMARY:CANCELLED - Prof Richard Sullivan\, Professor\, Kings College Lond
 on\, Director\, Centre for Global OncoPolicy & Health Kings Health Partner
 s
DTSTART:20120424T110000Z
DTEND:20120424T120000Z
UID:TALK34599@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mala Jayasundera
DESCRIPTION:*ECONOMICS OF CANCER MEDICINES*\n\nCancer is the most importan
 t economic disease facing developed countries. The world wide cost of canc
 er due to premature death and disability (not including direct medical cos
 ts) has been estimated to be $895 billion USD (in 2008 figures). This is n
 ot simply about absolute numbers but also the rate of increase of expendit
 ure on cancer. What are the drivers and solutions to the ‘cancer cost cu
 rve’ in developed countries? How are we going to afford to deliver high 
 quality and equitable care? The drivers of these costs are multiple – de
 mographic\, techno-cultural and macro-economic.  Multiple drivers of cost 
 such as over-utilisation\, rapid expansion and shortening ‘life cycles
 ’ of cancer technologies (medicines\, imaging modalities etc)\; the lack
  of suitable clinical research and integrated health economic studies\, to
  name but a few\, have converged with more defensive medical practice\, a 
 less informed regulatory system\, a lack of evidenced based socio-politica
 l debate and a declining ethos of fairness for all cancer patients.   Urge
 nt solutions to this state of affairs range from the re-engineering of the
  macro-economic basis of cancer costs\, e.g. coverage with evidence develo
 pment and value-based approaches to ‘bend the cost curve’ and allow co
 st saving technologies to actually gain traction\, greater education of po
 licy-makers\, and an informed and transparent regulatory system. A radical
  shift in cancer group think is also required. Political acceptance that u
 nfairness in access to affordable cancer treatment is unacceptable\, as we
 ll as a need for the cancer profession and industry to take responsibility
  and not to accept sub-standard evidence base\, an ethos of minimal benefi
 t at whatever cost\, and the delivery of fair prices and real value from n
 ew technologies.    
LOCATION:CRI Lecture Theatre
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