Cost-effectiveness and affordability of anticancer treatment in Brazil

Abstract

The cost of anticancer treatments has increased in recent years. This is a threat to the sustainability of health systems. The number and relevance of pharmacoeconomic studies has increased, although their interpretation has become more complex. In a majority of cases, the benefit provided by new drugs is not enough to consider them cost-effective. In other cases, the treatment can be cost-effective, but the budget impact is unaffordable. Both cases deserve a deep discussion on how to make these treatments available to patients.