Early access for innovative oncology medicines: a different story in each nation

Background As innovative oncology medicines are rapidly developed, there is increasing pressure on payers to offer patients timely access to life-saving therapies. The uncertainty surrounding these therapies when phase III clinical trials are pending has necessitated new, adapted pathways to market access, with timelines that greatly vary by country. Understanding differences between pathways may identify opportunities to expedite patient access universally. Objectives To describe early access pathways for new oncology medicines among selected countries with established health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks and publicly funded health systems, with a special focus on real-world evidence (RWE). Methods We reviewed the HTA agency websites of the selected OECD countries: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for England and Wales; Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) for France; IQWiG and G-BA for Germany; Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) for Italy; Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) for Australia; and CADTH and Institut National d'Excellence en Sante et Services Sociaux (INESSS) for Canada as the primary source of evidence. Results Processes for early patient access to innovative oncology therapies varied across selected countries; however, most countries have an established pathway for publicly funded early access (England and Wales, France, Germany, Italy, and Australia). The utilization of RWE to support earlier access (coverage with evidence) also varied by country, with some HTA organizations being actively engaged in these agreements (NICE, AIFA, and HAS) and others having no established processes in place (G-BA and CADTH/INESSS). Conclusions This review of early access pathways for novel oncology medicines found substantial variability between countries of interest. Coverage with evidence frameworks may provide a unique opportunity for industry and payers to collaborate on earlier access to innovative cancer therapies with life-saving potential.