Even as prices rose substantially in the U.S. over a recent 12-year period, a new analysis found that prices for the same cancer drugs either decreased or did not exceed inflation in Germany or Switzerland, where governments negotiate pricing with manufacturers.
After examining price changes for medicines approved to combat a dozen different forms of cancer between 2009 and 2020, researchers found that — with one exception — the median price for all of the drugs rose 6% in the U.S. two years after product launches. And prices climbed 15% by four years after a medication became available, despite a growing number of competitive treatments.
By contrast, prices generally decreased in Germany. Two years after launch, the monthly median price fell 21% and, after four years, dropped 26%. Similarly, in Switzerland, monthly median prices fell nearly 2% two years after product launches and 13% after four years. Over time, pricing in both countries gradually aligned for drugs within the same classes, according to the analysis, which was published in The Lancet.
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