The Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, G-BA) reports that it completed a record 146 early benefit assessments in 2021. The highest rating, of major additional therapeutic benefit, was awarded five times. According to the G-BA the assessments were “diverse in terms of content and therapy”. In addition to new cancer drugs, the G-BA also evaluated the first antiviral drug to treat COVID-19, novel gene therapy drugs and spinal muscular atrophy treatments.
The committee found considerable therapeutic benefit in 22 assessments, minor therapeutic benefit in 18 assessments and non-quantifiable additional benefit in 27 assessments. In total, 74 assessments were found to have no proven additional benefit (50.7% of all assessments).
The G-BA notes that the assessments are “important information for the treatment of patients, but also for pricing. The plan laid down by the coalition agreement of the new federal government to reduce the period of free pricing by the manufacturer from the current 12 to six months in the future is correct. Because with the G-BA decision, we already know at this point whether the new drug actually has additional benefit and if so, how big it is”.
Sources:
www.g-ba.de, “Frühe Nutzenbewertung bei neuen Arzneimitteln 2021: G-BA stellt Rekord mit 146 abgeschlossenen Verfahren auf”, 10th January 2022