The cost of cancer care across 22 countries shows no link to cancer survival rates

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-05-28 01:00

Australia; New Zealand; International

Data from 22 high-income countries, including Australia and NZ shows that the amount countries spend on cancer care is not linked to cancer death rates. The data showed Australia spent around US $304 per capita on cancer care compared to NZ which spent $233 and the US where care costs were much higher at $584 per capita. Although the US spent more on cancer care, the mortality rate in Australia was lower at 83.3 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 99 per 100,000 in NZ and 86.3 per 100,000 in the US.

Media release

From: JAMA

Comparing Cancer-Related Spending, Mortality Rates in High-Income Countries

JAMA Health Forum
Original Investigation

Comparison of Cancer-Related Spending and Mortality Rates in the US vs 21 High-Income Countries

About JAMA Health Forum: JAMA Health Forum has transitioned from an information channel to an international, peer-reviewed, online, open access journal that addresses health policy and strategies affecting medicine, health and health care. The journal publishes original research, evidence-based reports and opinion about national and global health policy; innovative approaches to health care delivery; and health care economics, access, quality, safety, equity and reform. Its distribution will be solely digital and all content will be freely available for anyone to read.

About The Study: Researchers found in this study of 22 high-income countries that cancer care spending in 2020 was not associated with age-standardized cancer mortality rates, and that although the United States spent more on cancer care than any other country, this expenditure was not associated with substantially lower cancer mortality rates.

Authors: Cary P. Gross, M.D., of the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, is the corresponding author.

(doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.1229)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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conference: JAMA Health Forum

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Yale School of Medicine, USA

Funder: Dr Gross reported receiving grants from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Foundation (funds provided by AstraZeneca), personal fees from Genentech Research (support for cancer equity research), and grants from Johnson & Johnson (support for developing new models of clinical trial data sharing) outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

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