Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42213266›Full record

ArticleHealth economics review2026

Factors influencing the reimbursement decisions of cancer drugs in Spanish National Health System.

Pelayo Nieto-Gómez, Celia Castaño-Amores, Antonio José García-Ruiz, Juan Oliva-Moreno

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health economics review, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Pelayo Nieto-GómezPharmacy Unit, Santa Bárbara Hospital, Puertollano (Ciudad Real), Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4154-7937
Celia Castaño-AmoresPharmacy Unit, Santa Bárbara Hospital, Puertollano (Ciudad Real), Spain. celia_camores@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1711-2730
Antonio José García-RuizPharmacology Department, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6423-6993
Juan Oliva-MorenoDepartment of Economic Analysis and Finance, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8997-0307

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aims to evaluate the influence of several factors, including added clinical benefit, cost-utility, availability of therapeutic alternatives, innovation level, and evidence uncertainty, on public reimbursement decisions for cancer drugs targeting solid tumours in Spanish National Health System between 2010 and 2023.

methods220 drug indications for solid tumours authorised between January 2010 and December 2023 were included. Clinical benefit was assessed using the European Society for Medical Oncology- Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS). Cost-utility was estimated based on pharmacological costs and Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY), using data from Health Technology Assessment Agencies (HTAAs) reports and list prices. Other variables included innovation, presence of therapeutic alternatives, quality of clinical trial evidence, and availability of overall survival (OS) and quality of life data (QoL). This influence was also controlled for by the year of the reimbursement decision. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and several probit regression models to estimate the impact of each factor on reimbursement likelihood.

resultsOf the 220 indications analysed, 68.2% received public reimbursement. Substantial clinical benefit was observed in 50% of cases and was significantly associated with reimbursement (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4-5.3; p < 0.01). Median incremental cost-utility ratios (ICUR) were €86,770/QALY (list prices) and €47,190/QALY (reimbursed prices), with no significant differences between reimbursed and non-reimbursed indications. The probit results indicate that substantial clinical benefit significantly increases the probability of public reimbursement by between 17.5 and 20.1% points (pp). Another relevant factor is the absence QoL data, which decreases the probability of reimbursement by between 13.9 and 14.8 pp. Drugs with reimbursement decisions made between 2020 and 2023 had a 19.4 pp lower probability of being reimbursed.

conclusionSubstantial clinical benefit and absence of QoL uncertainty significantly increases the likelihood of public reimbursement for oncology drugs in Spain, while cost-utility estimates apparently show no influence under current decision-making processes. Decisions made between 2020 and 2023 had a lower probability of receiving public reimbursement compared to the 2010-2019 period possibly due to the accumulation of drugs approved by European Commission in recent years. These findings highlight the need for clearer integration of economic evaluations and transparent criteria as Spain updates its P&R framework.

Identifiers

PMID42213266
PMCPMC13425766

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.