Resumen de Equity, barriers and cancer disparities: study of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology on the access to oncologic drugs in the Spanish Regions
Javier Salvador Bofill, Jorge Aparicio Urtasun, Francisco Javier Barón Duarte, María Rosario García Campelo, Rocío García Carbonero, Pilar Lianes Barragán, Antonio Llombart Cussac, Dolores Isla Casado, Josep Manuel Piera Pibernat, Montserrat Muñoz, Javier Puente Vázquez, Fernando Rivera Herrero, César Augusto Rodríguez Sánchez, Juan Antonio Virizuela Echaburu, Miguel Martín Jiménez, María Pilar Garrido López
Purpose The Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) has conducted a study on the access to oncologic drugs across the 17 Spanish Regions with the aim of identifying potential heterogeneities and making proposals for eliminating the barriers identified at the different levels.
Methods An Expert Panel made up of medical oncologists designed a survey on certain indications approved for 11 drugs in the approach of breast cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer and support treatment. This survey was sent to 144 National Health System (NHS) hospitals.
Results 77 hospitals answered the survey. The information modules analysed were: scope of the Commission that establishes binding decisions related to drug access; conditions, stages and periods of drug application, approval and administration processes; barriers to accessing drugs.
Conclusions The study shows variability in drug access. The SEOM makes proposals addressed to reducing the differences identified and homogenizing drug access conditions.
