Abstract
The Japan National Committee for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and UICC-Asia Regional Office (ARO) organized an international session as part of the official program of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association to discuss the topic "What is cost-effectiveness in cancer treatment? " Healthcare economics are an international concern and a key issue for the UICC. The presenters and participants discussed the question of how limited medical resources can be best used to support life, which is a question that applies to both developing and industrialized countries, given that cancer treatment is putting medical systems under increasing strain. The emergence of advanced yet hugely expensive drugs has prompted discussion on methodologies for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) that seek to quantify cost and effect. The session benefited from the participation of various stakeholders, including representatives of industry, government and academia and three speakers from the Republic of Korea, an Asian country where discussion on HTA methodologies is already advanced. In addition, the session was joined by a representative of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the United Kingdom, which has pioneered the concept of cost-effectiveness in a medical context. The aim of the session was to advance and deepen understanding of the issue of cost-effectiveness as viewed from medical care systems in different regions.
Highlights
Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is a membership organization that exists to help the global health community accelerate the fight against cancer
The session was joined by a representative of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the United Kingdom, which has pioneered the concept of cost-effectiveness in a medical context
As part of the official program of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association the Japan National Committee for UICC and UICC-Asia Regional Office (ARO) organized an international session to discuss the topic “What is cost-effectiveness in cancer treatment?” Presenters and participants discussed the question of how limited medical resources can be best used to support life, which is a question that applies to both developing and industrialized countries, given that cancer treatment is putting medical systems under increasing strain
Summary
UICC is a membership organization that exists to help the global health community accelerate the fight against cancer. Hideyuki Akaza (RCAST) welcomed participants to the UICC International Session, entitled “What is cost-effectiveness in cancer treatment?” The session was being hosted by the UICC Japan Office and UICC-Asia Regional Office (ARO) (Akaza, 2013) He began by noting the great cost involved in developing new anticancer drugs and the problems this is creating all around the world. Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is one method of measuring costeffectiveness, but it is insufficient on its own Another concern of the MHLW ministry council is to identify real innovation and price thereby rewarding innovation and not containing it. Another issue is to discuss the ways in restriction on drugs could be accepted in the case of “less-effective” use. The concern is that if costeffectiveness is another word for price containment, there
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
