European Cancer Leagues Report Calls for Transparency in Cancer Medicine Pricing and Criticizes Secrecy in EU Pharmaceutical Market (imt.ie)

• ECL Transparency Policy Paper criticizes secret drug pricing and its impact on patient access in Europe, especially for small countries like Ireland.
• EU HTA Regulation (effective Jan 2025) introduces Joint Clinical Assessments for oncology drugs; Ireland's NCPE assessed tovorafenib in first JCA.
• Report challenges moral legitimacy of high drug prices given public research funding, calls for democratic accountability.

"The European Cancer Leagues (ECL) Transparency Policy Paper argues that secret pricing agreements for cancer drugs distort markets and undermine patient access. It highlights that small countries like Ireland face 'market disadvantage' in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies. The EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation, effective January 2025, introduces Joint Clinical Assessments (JCAs) for new cancer medicines, with Ireland's NCPE acting as assessor for the first JCA on tovorafenib. The report challenges the moral legitimacy of high drug prices and calls for democratic accountability in healthcare."