Zorginstituut Nederland has endorsed the inclusion of Enhertu® for a broader range of breast cancer patients, provided the drug’s price is significantly reduced. This decision aims to extend treatment benefits to nearly 500 additional patients annually, potentially increasing healthcare expenditures by approximately €40 million each year.
Expanding Treatment Access
Enhertu® (trastuzumab-deruxtecan) shows promise in slowing tumor growth and extending survival for individuals with inoperable and metastatic HER2-low breast cancer. Previously reserved for HER2-positive cases, advancements in tissue analysis now identify HER2-low variants in 60 to 65% of HER2-negative breast cancer patients, making them eligible for this treatment. This extension is based on evidence that Enhertu® can prolong life by six months compared to standard chemotherapy, despite the risk of severe side effects like lung tissue thickening and significant shortness of breath.
Price Negotiations Essential
For Enhertu® to be covered under the national healthcare package, Zorginstituut Nederland insists that the manufacturer reduce the drug’s price from its current cost of approximately €95,000 per patient. The global revenue for Enhertu® reached nearly $3.5 billion in 2024, and with its application expanding, further price reductions are crucial. Additionally, the absence of published data on the drug’s impact on patients’ quality of life complicates the pricing justification, reinforcing the need for a lower cost to align with the health benefits provided.
Further supporting the recommendation, improved tissue analysis techniques enable precise identification of HER2-low breast cancer, ensuring that Enhertu® is administered to those who will benefit most without unnecessary exposure to severe side effects. The enhanced diagnostic capabilities are pivotal in maximizing therapeutic effectiveness and patient safety.
- Enhertu® treatment eligibility now includes HER2-low breast cancer patients.
- Significant price reduction required for national healthcare coverage.
- Potential annual treatment increase of nearly 500 patients.
- Healthcare costs projected to rise by around €40 million annually.
- Enhanced tissue analysis critical for accurate patient classification.
The approval to extend Enhertu® access represents a significant advancement in personalized cancer therapy, ensuring that more patients receive targeted treatment based on their tumor’s specific characteristics. Healthcare providers must prioritize the implementation of advanced tissue analysis across all hospitals to facilitate timely and accurate diagnosis.
Negotiations between the drug manufacturer and the Minister of Health will be pivotal in determining the feasibility of this expansion. A successful reduction in Enhertu®’s price will not only make the treatment accessible to a larger patient population but also set a precedent for future negotiations involving high-cost cancer therapies.
Ensuring that Enhertu® is both affordable and accessible aligns with the broader goals of providing equitable and effective healthcare. Patients and healthcare professionals alike stand to benefit from these changes, which promise to enhance treatment outcomes and extend the lives of those battling advanced breast cancer.
Implementing these recommendations will require coordinated efforts from all stakeholders in the healthcare system to balance cost containment with the imperative to provide life-extending treatments. The success of this initiative could serve as a model for addressing similar challenges in other therapeutic areas, ultimately improving the quality of care for patients nationwide.
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