Skip Navigation


Annals of Oncology Advance Access originally published online on January 17, 2006
Annals of Oncology 2006 17(4):702-708; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdj136
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
17/4/702    most recent
mdj136v1
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thomson, J.
Right arrow Articles by Jefford, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thomson, J.
Right arrow Articles by Jefford, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2006 European Society for Medical Oncology

Do oncologists discuss expensive anti-cancer drugs with their patients?

J. Thomson1, P. Schofield1, L. Mileshkin1, E. Agalianos1, J. Savulescu2, J. Zalcberg1 and M. Jefford1,*

1 Division of Haematology and Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 2 Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

* Correspondence to: Dr M. Jefford, Division of Haematology and Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Locked Bag 1, A'Beckett Street, Victoria 8006, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9656 1697; Fax: +61 3 9656 1408; E-mail: Michael.Jefford{at}petermac.org

Background: In Australia, some anti-cancer drugs are only available at significant financial cost to patients. We sought the views and practices of Australian medical oncologists regarding discussion of high cost drugs (HCDs).

Participants and Methods: A postal survey was mailed to all 274 members of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia. Three clinical scenarios described HCDs associated with either improved overall survival, encouraging response rate in a treatment-refractory cancer, or a scenario with improved treatment tolerability. Participants were asked about their discussion and prescription of HCDs.

Results: There was a 78% response rate. Most respondents were male (71%), worked in a metropolitan practice (87%) and spent more than 50% of their working time in patient care (87%). Forty-eight percent had previously prescribed a HCD. In the three scenarios, respondents would generally prescribe the drug if it were subsidised, however, between 28% and 41% (depending on the scenario) would not mention the HCD if it were not subsidised. Major reasons for not mentioning the HCD were concerns that discussion would ‘worry the patient’ or that the doctor would ‘feel bad’.

Conclusions: Despite literature suggesting that patients wish to be well informed and active participants in decision making, the practice of a significant percentage of Australian medical oncologists may prevent this.

Key words: chemotherapy, decision making, expensive drugs, medical ethics, patient participation


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.