Lack of Insurance Keeps Many Americans From Best Cancer Meds [Video]

Key Takeaways

Drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors have greatly improved the survival of many cancer patientsThe drugs are expensive, however, and new research suggests many uninsured people just can’t access themMore must be done to create policies that help every cancer patient access these meds

MONDAY, June 3, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A cutting-edge class of drugs is saving and extending the lives of cancer patients.

But the drugs, called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), are so expensive that some uninsured Americans can’t access them, a new report finds.

New policies are needed “to improve health insurance coverage options and to make new treatments more affordable,” the American Cancer Society (ACS) said in a news release outlining the findings.

The study was led by ACS researcher Dr. Jingxuan Zhao. Her team presented the findings Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

ICIs include such blockbuster cancer medications as pembrolizumab (Keytruda), ipilimumab (Yervoy…