WCLC 2025 - Posters & ePosters-P1.17.29 Access to Novel Therapies for the Treatment of NSCLC in 18 EU Member States

Pdf Summary

This study assesses access to novel therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) across 18 European Union (EU) member states (MS). Despite a shared EU regulatory framework for anticancer drugs, reimbursement policies vary significantly between countries, affecting patients' access to treatments. Using a questionnaire sent to oncology experts, the study collected data on the availability and reimbursement of anticancer drugs for NSCLC as recommended by ESMO guidelines and scored for clinical benefit by the ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (MCBS).<br /><br />Findings show that out of 33 anticancer therapies approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for 59 indications, 27 had a high ESMO MCBS score (4 or 5) indicating significant clinical benefit, and 6 had score A, denoting meaningful benefit in early NSCLC. On average, 63% of these therapies are fully reimbursed across the studied countries. Most targeted therapies, particularly for EGFR mutations, ALK/ROS1 rearrangements, and other molecular subtypes, see varied levels of reimbursement, with a median ranging from 6 to 14 fully reimbursed treatments depending on the molecular target. Additionally, 16 countries fully reimburse more than half of the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with high clinical benefit scores for advanced NSCLC, and at least half fully reimburse three or more therapies for early-stage NSCLC.<br /><br />Despite generally broad access to important NSCLC therapies, inequities remain. The study highlights the need to address disparities in reimbursement to ensure patients across EU MS can access highly effective medicines and at least one medically equivalent drug within specific molecular subpopulations. Improving equitable access to high-benefit therapies is critical to optimizing NSCLC treatment outcomes across Europe.

Asset Subtitle

Urska Janzic

Meta Tag

Speaker Urska Janzic

Topic Global Health, Health Services, and Health Economics

Keywords

non-small cell lung cancer

NSCLC

European Union

anticancer drugs

reimbursement policies

ESMO guidelines

ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale

immune checkpoint inhibitors

targeted therapies

healthcare access inequities