21 November 2016 - Pills used to treat a form of leukaemia may be more effective and convenient than chemotherapy, but a new study suggests pricing is projected to raise the annual cost of care by 590% – to more than $5 billion – over the next decade, straining payer budgets and causing financial hardship for patients.

Here’s why: The number of people in the US living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, which is a rare blood and bone marrow disease, is forecast to reach 199,000 in 2025, up from 128,000 five years ago, thanks to more effective treatment. But a higher-priced pill, which is used as a first-line therapy and taken indefinitely, will also outpace the cost of chemotherapy, which has a fixed duration for treatment.

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