Access to Pediatric Cancer Medicines in China
Author Information
Author(s): Lin Bai, Huang Tao, Li Huangqianyu, Shi Luwen, Denburg Avram, Gupta Sumit, Guan Xiaodong
Primary Institution: Peking University
Hypothesis
What is the availability and affordability of essential anticancer medicines for children in China?
Conclusion
Access to essential anticancer medicines for children remains suboptimal in China and varies across regions.
Supporting Evidence
- 14 out of 33 medicines were available in less than 50% of hospitals.
- 6 products had a median single-day copayment exceeding daily disposable income.
- Median availability was higher for medicines approved for pediatric use (80.0%) compared to those without (48.2%).
- 42.4% of medicines had both good availability and affordability.
Takeaway
This study looked at how easy it is for kids in China to get cancer medicines. It found that many medicines are hard to find and too expensive for families.
Methodology
Cross-sectional data on drug use was collected from 55 tertiary children's hospitals across seven regions in China.
Potential Biases
Potential overestimation of availability due to reliance on reported usage data.
Limitations
The study only included tertiary hospitals and did not differentiate between generic and brand-name drugs.
Participant Demographics
Children under 20 years old in China.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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