Jiangsu Province, a leading region in eastern China, has witnessed a significant improvement in the accessibility of innovative anticancer medications between 2020 and 2022. Despite advancements, notable disparities persist across different healthcare institutions and between urban and rural populations, as revealed by a recent study.
Availability Challenges Persist
The study assessed 23 Innovative Negotiated Anticancer Medicines (INAMs) across 285 healthcare institutions. Findings indicate that 43.5% of these medicines faced availability issues, with 30.4% being very difficult to obtain. Secondary healthcare institutions reported lower availability compared to their tertiary counterparts, highlighting institutional disparities in medicine distribution.
Rural Affordability Remains Low
Economic factors significantly impact medicine accessibility, especially in rural areas. The defined daily dose cost (DDDc) for most INAMs decreased annually, making them more affordable over time. However, rural residents still experience greater financial strain from medicine costs, leading to higher instances of family poverty. The study found that affordability for rural patients was significantly lower than for urban patients in both 2021 and 2022.
– Nearly half of the innovative anticancer drugs remain difficult to obtain.
– Significant price reductions were observed for 19 out of 23 INAMs during the study period.
– Rural patients face a higher risk of financial hardship due to treatment costs.
While access to innovative cancer treatments has improved in Jiangsu Province, the persisting gaps between different healthcare institutions and between urban and rural areas suggest that current policies may not fully address the needs of all patient populations. Enhancing distribution networks in secondary healthcare facilities and implementing targeted financial support for rural residents could further bridge these accessibility gaps. Additionally, ongoing monitoring of medicine availability and affordability is crucial to ensure that advancements in cancer treatment benefit a broader segment of the population.
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