Singapore: Measures to be put in place for cancer patients affected by changes to treatment claim policies

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will put in place measures for a “small number of exceptional” cancer patients affected by a change to outpatient cancer drug treatment claims, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health Rahayu Mahzam on Tuesday (Jul 5).

Announced last year, the changes focus MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans to cover a cancer drug list of clinically proven and more cost-effective cancer drug treatments. They will take effect in September this year.

Addressing questions from Members of Parliament (MPs) on assistance for patients who require non-standard treatment, Ms Rahayu noted that there could be exceptions where patients do not respond to treatments on the list and their doctors may exercise their clinical discretion to prescribe other treatments based on evidence of benefit.

“In these cases, doctors must be prepared to justify their clinical decisions to patients and their colleagues. Doctors must also counsel the patient on its risks, efficacy, and costs so that the patient may make an informed choice,” she said.

The current claim limit that is applied to all types of cancer drugs gives pharmaceutical companies little or no reason to lower prices and takes away the Government’s negotiating power, she said.

“This has resulted in an unsustainable rise of cancer drug prices. If left unchecked, cancer drugs will eventually be unaffordable for the majority of cancer patients,” Ms Rahayu added.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES