By Sriparna Roy
(Reuters) – Value will increase for 5 of the ten medicine that contributed probably the most to an increase in U.S. medical spending in 2023 weren’t supported by scientific proof and drove prices greater by $815 million, an influential drug pricing watchdog stated on Thursday.
The Institute for Medical and Financial Evaluate (ICER) stated that half of the medicine assessed had worth will increase based mostly on new proof of further advantages or lowered hurt, whereas the opposite half lacked such proof.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:)’s most cancers drug Darzalex was on the record of worth will increase not backed by scientific proof for the second time this yr. A 7.6% rise within the therapy’s record worth added about $190 million to U.S. spending, in line with the report.
The ICER’s methodology represents the angle of insurance coverage corporations, not sufferers, a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson stated.
The methodology is deeply flawed and omits key data, together with a brand new FDA approval and several other examine experiences, the spokesperson added.
Gilead (NASDAQ:)’s HIV drug Biktarvy, Novartis (SIX:)’ coronary heart drug Entresto, Exelixis (NASDAQ:)’ most cancers remedy Cabometyx and Pfizer (NYSE:)’s rheumatoid arthritis drug Xeljanz had been the opposite 4 medicine that contributed to elevated spending with out being backed by knowledge.
Biktarvy contributed greater than the opposite 4 on the record, the ICER’s Vice President of Analysis Foluso Agboola stated.
The report disregarded proof on Biktarvy, together with knowledge that prompted two FDA label updates and two scientific guideline updates because of its significance for scientific observe, a Gilead spokesperson stated.
“We proceed to see record worth will increase which can be far above the speed of inflation for lots of the costliest medicine,” Agboola added.
Final yr, eight of the ten high-expenditure medicine had substantial worth will increase, accounting for $1.27 billion in further prices, in line with the U.S. pricing analysis agency.
Merck (NS:)’s Keytruda was among the many prime ten costliest medicine, however the ICER stated that the 4.1% improve within the therapy’s record worth was supported by scientific proof.
Regardless that the medicine did have new scientific proof, the report didn’t try to find out whether or not the value will increase had been totally justified by assembly a health-benefit worth benchmark that may be decided by a proper cost-effectiveness evaluation.
