Determining the Willingness to Pay for Innovative Oncology Medicines in Malaysia

• Published in: Value in health regional issues 2024-03, Vol.40, p.19-26
• Main Authors: Dzulkipli, Mohd Redhuan, Shafie, Asrul Akmal, Maon, Siti Noorsuriani, Ramli, Azuana, Yahaya, Abdul Haniff Mohammad, Ho, See Wan, Muhsin, Nor Ilham Ainaa, Ahmat, Azmi Nor Mohd Farez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; amount willing to pay; bidding method; contingent valuation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Services Needs and Demand - economics; Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Income; innovative oncology medicine; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Southeast Asian People; willingness to pay
• ISSN: 2212-1099; 2212-1102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2023.10.003

Early access to innovative oncology medicine is crucial to provide better treatment alternatives to patients with cancer. However, innovative oncology medicines often come at higher prices, thus limiting the government’s ability for its universal coverage. Hence an alternative paying mechanism is needed. This study is intended to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) for innovative oncology medicines among Malaysians. A cross-sectional contingent valuation study on 571 Malaysians was conducted to elicit respondents’ WTP value via bidding game approach. A double-bounded dichotomous choice was used in 3 hypothetical scenarios: innovative diabetes medicine, innovative oncology medicine one-off (IOMO), and innovative oncology medicine insurance. Univariate logistic regression was used to determine the factors affecting respondent’s WTP, whereas the mean WTP value and the factors affecting amount to WTP was determined using a parametric 2-part model. This study received 95% response rate. The mean age of the respondents is 48 years (SD 17) with majority of the respondents female (60.3%) and from ethnic Malay (62%). About 343 (64.7%) of the respondents expressed WTP for IOMO. Those in higher income bracket were willing to pay more for the access of IOMO than the overall WTP mean value (P = .046, coefficient 351.57). More than half of Malaysian are willing to pay for IOMO at mean value of Malaysian Ringgit 279.10 (US dollar 66.77). Collaborative funding mechanisms and appropriate financial screening among the stakeholders could be introduced as methods to expedite the access of innovative oncology medicine among patients with cancer in Malaysia. •The high cost of innovative oncology medicine had put barrier to the wider access of the medicines to patients with cancer, especially in the public hospitals.•This article provides an insight of the factors that affect willingness to pay and amount to willingness to pay for the expedited access of innovative oncology medicine among patients with cancer in Malaysia.•Dynamic funding mechanism is needed to cover the cost of innovative oncology medicine thus increase the access to the advanced cancer treatment among patients with cancer in Malaysia.