Cancer Drug Prices in Argentina and United Kingdom: A Comparison Study

Background: Cancer drugs challenge health-care systems because of their high prices. Drugs prices, health-care systems and GDP are no uniform throughout the world. United Kingdom (UK) has a 320% better GDP than Argentina (ARG). Aim: We aimed to compare the prices of cancer drugs in both countries, including originals, generics/copies and biosimilars available in ARG by July 2017. Methods: We surveyed official list prices per unit at ex-factory price level of 52 original cancer drugs in UK and ARG. Drugs were grouped in low (LPD) (10), medium (MPD) (7) and high prices (HPD) (35). We included prices of generics/copies (74 generics brands of 7 LPD and 46 generics brands of 6 MPD and HPD) and biosimilars (2) available in ARG and compared with those from originals. Surveyed prices did not include negotiated discounts as authorities and third payers use these undiscounted official lists to set health care. We calculated appropriate discounts to equate prices. Results: In ARG the difference of a drug price betwe...