Clinical trials. Access and reimbursement.
Clinical trials. Access and reimbursement.
复制标题
临床试验。
作者：
W. Farrar
临床试验在临床肿瘤学中继续发挥着极其重要的作用，但在美国每年诊断的近100万癌症患者中，只有2.5%（25,000人）参与此类试验。 NCI 采取了一项宣传活动，包括举办研讨会、向国家和地方新闻媒体传播信息以及协助向患者和医生提供有关临床试验的信息，从而增强了获得临床试验的机会。阻碍患者参加临床试验的因素包括：（1）医生担心失去与患者的联系，（2）医生认为“实验疗法”不如“标准疗法”，以及（3）讨论和实施临床试验所需的时间。临床试验的报销也成为一个主要问题。谁应该支付临床研究费用？许多保险公司一直不愿支付“实验治疗”费用，但会支付“标准治疗”费用。如果这种趋势持续下去，整个临床试验的理念和组织，即I、II、III期试验将受到极大的阻碍。必须找到解决方案，第三方付款人需要认识到，今天对临床试验的投资将降低最先进护理的长期成本。
Clinical trials continue to play an extremely important role in clinical oncology, but of the nearly 1 million cancer patients diagnosed in the United States each year, only 2.5% (25,000) participate in such trials. Access to clinical trials has been enhanced by the adoption by the NCI of a promotional campaign that involves seminars, dissemination of information to national and local news media, and assisting in making information about clinical trials available to patients and physicians. Factors that hinder accrual of patients to clinical trials include: (1) physicians' concern about losing contact with patients, (2) physicians who feel that "experimental therapy" is not as good as "standard therapy," and (3) the time it takes to discuss and implement clinical trials. Reimbursement for clinical trials has also become a major concern. Who should pay for clinical research? Many insurance companies have been reluctant to pay for "experimental therapy" but will pay for "standard therapy." If this trend continues, the whole concept and organization of clinical trials, i.e., Phase I, II, and III trials, will be greatly hindered. Solutions must be found, and third party payers need to realize that an investment in clinical trials today will decrease the long term costs of state-of-the-art care.