Rising Cancer Drug Prices: What Can Low- and Middle-income Countries Do?

Public health systems face the contradiction of skyrocketing cancer incidence and cancer drug prices, thus limiting patient access to more effective treatments. The situation is particularly dire in low- and middle-income countries. We urgently need consensus on the main determinants of this problem, as well as specific, effective and feasible solutions. Analysis of available data reveals that the problem has reached its current magnitude only recently and is not related to the growing complexity of drug production technology, but rather to corporate profits and the failure of market mechanisms to allocate resources based on health needs. Despite the obstacles, there is ample room for effective intervention: joint price negotiations, cost transparency, greater support for creation of manufacturing capacity, and regulatory measures that facilitate introduction of generic and biosimilar drugs and reduce intellectual property barriers to better use of flexibilities in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Such actions will not be effective if there is no consensus around them, or if low- and middle-income countries act in isolation. This is precisely where international organizations must intervene.