Pharma Is Pushing $200k Cancer Drugs When Cheaper Doses May Work
10 hours ago
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- Doctors in India and other countries are experimenting with lower doses of expensive cancer drugs like Opdivo and Keytruda, which may be just as effective as standard doses.
- Pharmaceutical companies, including Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb, resist lower dosing due to potential revenue losses, as they are paid per dose.
- Lower doses could make cancer treatments more affordable, especially in developing countries, and reduce severe side effects for patients.
- Merck discontinued smaller vials of Keytruda, making it harder for doctors to administer weight-based dosing without wasting medication, effectively increasing costs.
- Studies in India, Israel, and Europe show promising results with reduced doses, but drugmakers have not supported further research into lower dosing regimens.
- The World Health Organization has endorsed weight-based dosing for Keytruda to improve access, but Merck maintains that reduced dosing is not appropriate without conclusive evidence.
- Cancer patients in developing countries often cannot afford full-dose treatments, leading doctors to explore ultra-low doses, which have shown life-prolonging results in some cases.