NHS should vary price it pays for cancer drugs to improve access, say experts

The NHS should vary the price it pays for cancer drugs depending on the disease they are used to treat, a group of experts has concluded.

New pricing models could widen patient access to new cancer treatments, the panel of academic and industry experts advised. The government should also consider tying prices of cancer drugs to the benefits they deliver for patients, they said.

The recommendations were drawn up after a summit held by the Institute of Cancer Research, London. The panel consisted of 16 academic institutions, charities, stakeholder groups, and drug companies (see box).

The group recommends that …