With healthcare reform legislation now passed, the nation's attention has turned to other political issues. However, healthcare costs continue to increase at an unsustainable rate and our elected representatives seem unwilling to address the core issues that are driving this country toward a real healthcare system crisis.
Advancements in medical science and technology are contributing to this looming problem. I'm reminded of a seminar I attended several years ago where the speaker took the position that this country cannot afford what medical research has the capability to develop in terms of pharmaceuticals, treatments and devices. Maybe he was correct.
I was reminded of his thoughts as I read a recent article in The New York Times announcing the FDA approval of a “vaccine” that uses a patient's immune system to fight prostate cancer.
The new drug, Provenge, was approved for men with prostate cancer that has spread and for whom hormone-deprivation drugs no longer work. A clinical trial showed those who received Provenge lived, on average, about 25 months after treatment compared to about 21 months for those who received the placebo.
A full treatment with Provenge will cost $93,000 and sales are projected to reach $1 billion annually within two or three years. The article points out that there are dozens of other cancer drugs in development using the same vaccine-like techniques. So the question is: are the benefits worth the cost?
Some people have a negative perception when it comes to conducting a cost/benefit analysis in the healthcare realm. These analyses are often met with emotional rhetoric about “rationing care” or the accusation of supporting death squads. But what we need in this country is a rational discussion of this clear and present dilemma.
If the open-ended and unfettered adoption of medical science and technology is to continue, then the decision should be made only after considering the cost implications to our economy and the relative value to patients. Allocating scarce resources is a process individuals, families and businesses go through every day. It allows us to be certain we don't spend more than we have.
Isn’t it about time we apply these same principles to the healthcare world?
Mike Stephens blogs regularly at Action for Better Healthcare.