The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies
BackgroundWhile progress has been made in oncology treatments, including the introduction of combination therapies, barriers affect patient access. There are approaches that could improve access including combination-specific pricing that allow the price to reflect whether a product is used in monot...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1532022/full |
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| author | Steven Simoens David Dodwell Michael Hartevelt Peter Lindgren Peter Lindgren Michele Pistollato Lisa Pont Caridad Pontes Alexander Roediger Antun Sablek Eric Van Ganse Qinyi Wang Chris Wenger Tim Wilsdon Entela Xoxi Entela Xoxi Brian Godman Brian Godman |
| author_facet | Steven Simoens David Dodwell Michael Hartevelt Peter Lindgren Peter Lindgren Michele Pistollato Lisa Pont Caridad Pontes Alexander Roediger Antun Sablek Eric Van Ganse Qinyi Wang Chris Wenger Tim Wilsdon Entela Xoxi Entela Xoxi Brian Godman Brian Godman |
| author_sort | Steven Simoens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundWhile progress has been made in oncology treatments, including the introduction of combination therapies, barriers affect patient access. There are approaches that could improve access including combination-specific pricing that allow the price to reflect whether a product is used in monotherapy or in combination. The feasibility of this solution requires data on the utilization of combination therapies.AimTo investigate the ability of data systems across Belgium, England, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Australia to track drug utilization of combination therapies, particularly in oncology.MethodsA targeted literature review was conducted to investigate the attributes of the key data systems. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were subsequently conducted with country experts to validate the research, who were screened based on their expertise and knowledge of the respective data and reimbursement systems in their countries, followed by an advisory board to align on policy recommendations. Country-specific and cross-border insights were gathered from nine experts across these countries.ResultsThere are data systems that routinely collect medicine utilization data across seven European countries and Australia. These datasets can potentially be leveraged to track the utilization of combination therapies. Where available, administrative data systems, such as reimbursement claims data, can be leveraged, though other types of systems, such as product registries, may be more suitable in some countries, emphasizing the need to consider country-specific nuances. Using existing data systems is likely to be less resource-intensive than setting up a novel system for this application. While viable sources of data exist in most countries, many need improving to fully harness their tracking potential. There are several common areas where improvement is needed to track combination therapies effectively. These include data quality, access for different stakeholders, minimizing the burden of data entry and management, and increasing support from national authorities to foster multi-stakeholder engagement.ConclusionWhile most countries possess data systems that could serve as a foundation for tracking combination oncology therapies, these systems require optimization and proper implementation. Our core recommendation is for policymakers to explore the expansion and enhancement of data infrastructures. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7007d5324a504dc9a55b6c7162f99f9c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7007d5324a504dc9a55b6c7162f99f9c2025-08-20T13:02:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-08-011610.3389/fphar.2025.15320221532022The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapiesSteven Simoens0David Dodwell1Michael Hartevelt2Peter Lindgren3Peter Lindgren4Michele Pistollato5Lisa Pont6Caridad Pontes7Alexander Roediger8Antun Sablek9Eric Van Ganse10Qinyi Wang11Chris Wenger12Tim Wilsdon13Entela Xoxi14Entela Xoxi15Brian Godman16Brian Godman17KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, BelgiumOxford Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomGlobal Oncology Policy, Merck, Rahway, NJ, United StatesSwedish Institute for Health Economics, Lund, SwedenHealth Economics, Karolinska Institute, Solna, SwedenCharles River Associates, London, United KingdomGraduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainGlobal Oncology Policy, Merck, Rahway, NJ, United StatesCharles River Associates, Brussels, Belgium0Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France1Charles River Associates, Cambridge, United Kingdom2Aquantic AG, Zeiningen, SwitzerlandCharles River Associates, London, United Kingdom3Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom4Postgraduate School of Health Economics and Management (ALTEMS), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy3Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom5Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South AfricaBackgroundWhile progress has been made in oncology treatments, including the introduction of combination therapies, barriers affect patient access. There are approaches that could improve access including combination-specific pricing that allow the price to reflect whether a product is used in monotherapy or in combination. The feasibility of this solution requires data on the utilization of combination therapies.AimTo investigate the ability of data systems across Belgium, England, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Australia to track drug utilization of combination therapies, particularly in oncology.MethodsA targeted literature review was conducted to investigate the attributes of the key data systems. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were subsequently conducted with country experts to validate the research, who were screened based on their expertise and knowledge of the respective data and reimbursement systems in their countries, followed by an advisory board to align on policy recommendations. Country-specific and cross-border insights were gathered from nine experts across these countries.ResultsThere are data systems that routinely collect medicine utilization data across seven European countries and Australia. These datasets can potentially be leveraged to track the utilization of combination therapies. Where available, administrative data systems, such as reimbursement claims data, can be leveraged, though other types of systems, such as product registries, may be more suitable in some countries, emphasizing the need to consider country-specific nuances. Using existing data systems is likely to be less resource-intensive than setting up a novel system for this application. While viable sources of data exist in most countries, many need improving to fully harness their tracking potential. There are several common areas where improvement is needed to track combination therapies effectively. These include data quality, access for different stakeholders, minimizing the burden of data entry and management, and increasing support from national authorities to foster multi-stakeholder engagement.ConclusionWhile most countries possess data systems that could serve as a foundation for tracking combination oncology therapies, these systems require optimization and proper implementation. Our core recommendation is for policymakers to explore the expansion and enhancement of data infrastructures.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1532022/fulloncology combination therapiesindividual patient-level healthcare datautilization trackingpricing and reimbursementpharmaceutical policyEurope |
| spellingShingle | Steven Simoens David Dodwell Michael Hartevelt Peter Lindgren Peter Lindgren Michele Pistollato Lisa Pont Caridad Pontes Alexander Roediger Antun Sablek Eric Van Ganse Qinyi Wang Chris Wenger Tim Wilsdon Entela Xoxi Entela Xoxi Brian Godman Brian Godman The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies Frontiers in Pharmacology oncology combination therapies individual patient-level healthcare data utilization tracking pricing and reimbursement pharmaceutical policy Europe |
| title | The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies |
| title_full | The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies |
| title_fullStr | The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies |
| title_short | The unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization: an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies |
| title_sort | unexploited potential of data systems tracking medicines utilization an opportunity to improve access to oncology combination therapies |
| topic | oncology combination therapies individual patient-level healthcare data utilization tracking pricing and reimbursement pharmaceutical policy Europe |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1532022/full |
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