Utilisation of the ESMO-MCBS in practice of HTA

Abstract

It is highly appreciated that the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) has developed a system to assess new oncologic compounds according to their value to patients [1.]. Consequently, offering decision-support to those who either want to use the new cancer therapies in clinical practice but cannot keep up-to-date with all therapy options or, alternatively, to those who have to decide whether or not to fund new oncology medicines or exclude from reimbursement due to their low value. This is particularly important with ever-rising prices for new oncology medicines which have increased up to 10-fold in recent years. Having established a horizon-scanning system for new oncology medicines (HSO) for Austria [2.] since 2009, we have extensive experience with the early assessment of newly approved therapies for patients with cancer (n = 59). Until recently, these assessments have not included recommendations. We are now considering an adapted version of the ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (MCBS). With the aim of piloting and validating the ESMO-MCBS—as suggested by Hartmann [3.]—we—three researchers, blinded to ESMO scores, blinded to each other’s scoring—rated drugs in three indications (colorectal carcinoma, melanoma and lung cancer) which had been assessed by the Austrian HSO programme as well as having been scored by ESMO (n = 11)