Money-back guarantees on cancer drugs are real in Italy, and the world is watching
Italy and its money-back guarantees on cancer drugs are sparking interest in the US and Europe. With more drugs fast-tracked through regulatory review, Italy uses these deals to stay on the cutting edge of treatment without breaking the bank on unsuccessful drugs.
Italy uses a strategy of reimbursement and contracts that vary by cancer type. Last year, it collected about $220 million under those money-back deals. Additionally, Italy established national treatment registries in 2005 to track outcomes from various drugs, providing data for negotiating agreements and collecting refunds.
Roche and Novartis have backed this sort of approach to reimbursement, which could be key to widespread adoption.
