Noh Youran, Son Kyung-Bok
College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdeahak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15588, South Korea.
Health Econ Rev. 2025 Jul 12;15(1):61. doi: 10.1186/s13561-025-00659-y.
Reimbursing high-cost cancer drugs presents challenges in managing uncertainty, setting appropriate prices, and controlling pharmaceutical expenditures. We examined the perspectives of the South Korean public on high-cost cancer drugs and policy options to improve reimbursement for these treatments.
We conducted a self-rated, web-based survey from November to December 2023. We used a quota sampling method based on South Korean census data to recruit study participants. The questionnaire comprised four sections: socio-demographics, definitions of high-cost cancer drugs and reasons for their reimbursement, uncertainties associated with high-cost cancer drugs, and policy options to improve reimbursement for these treatments.
Of the 11,974 invitations sent, 1,000 participants completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 8.35%. Three-quarters of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that high-cost cancer drugs should be reimbursed. More than 70% accepted the need for price negotiations, even if they lead to drug withdrawals or delays in reimbursement decisions. A similar proportion agreed that new policy options, such as dual pricing and additional funding, should be introduced with caution.
The South Korean public perceives the reimbursement of high-cost cancer drugs as both a human rights measure and a government responsibility. However, they support reimbursement only when they are confident that the drug is safe, effective, and cost-effective.
报销高成本癌症药物在应对不确定性、设定合理价格以及控制药品支出方面存在挑战。我们研究了韩国公众对高成本癌症药物的看法以及改善这些治疗报销情况的政策选择。
我们在2023年11月至12月进行了一项基于网络的自评调查。我们采用基于韩国人口普查数据的配额抽样方法招募研究参与者。问卷包括四个部分：社会人口统计学、高成本癌症药物的定义及其报销原因、与高成本癌症药物相关的不确定性，以及改善这些治疗报销情况的政策选择。
在发出的11974份邀请中，有1000名参与者完成了调查，回复率为8.35%。四分之三的受访者同意或强烈同意高成本癌症药物应予以报销。超过70%的人接受价格谈判的必要性，即使这会导致药物撤市或报销决定延迟。类似比例的人同意应谨慎引入双重定价和额外资金等新政策选择。
韩国公众认为报销高成本癌症药物既是一项人权措施，也是政府的责任。然而，只有当他们确信药物安全、有效且具有成本效益时，才会支持报销。
