Evolution of Pharmacological Treatments and Associated Costs for Multiple Myeloma in the Public Healthcare System of Catalonia: A Retrospective Observational Study

Abstract

Simple Summary In this study, we examined the prescription patterns and pharmaceutical costs for treatments of multiple myeloma (MM) in Catalonia's public healthcare system over the past decade. MM is a complex and costly disease for which substantial pharmacological innovation has recently been introduced, and we aimed to understand how treatment choices and expenses have evolved. We analyzed data from 4556 MM patients and found that the number of treated patients increased annually. Drugs like lenalidomide and daratumumab showed significant utilization rises, impacting overall costs. Our findings shed light on the economic burden of MM treatment, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and optimizing healthcare resources allocation for better healthcare decision making.Abstract (1) Background: Our understanding of and treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) has advanced significantly, and new pharmacological treatments have promising benefits but high price tags. This study analyzes prescription patterns and pharmaceutical expenditure for MM treatments in Catalonia's public healthcare system over eight years. (2) Methods: A retrospective observational study examined MM treatment data from 2015 to 2022 in Catalonia, using healthcare registries from the Catalan Health Service to collect information on patients, medicines used, and treatment costs. (3) Results: A total of 4556 MM patients received treatment, with a rising trend in the number of treated patients each year from 902 in 2015 to 1899 in 2022. The mean age was 68.9 years, and patients were almost evenly distributed by gender (51.5% male). Most patients were treated with bortezomib (3338 patients), lenalidomide (2952), and/or daratumumab (1093). Most drugs showed increased utilization annually, most significantly for lenalidomide and daratumumab. The total pharmacological treatment cost throughout the entire study period was EUR 321,811,249, with lenalidomide leading with the highest total cost (EUR 157,236,784), and daratumumab exhibiting the highest increase in annual expenditure. (5) Conclusions: The study reveals a progressive increase in the number of MM patients treated and rising pharmaceutical costs. Lenalidomide and daratumumab incurred the highest costs. The findings highlight MM treatment's economic impact and the need to monitor prescription patterns and expenditures to optimize healthcare resources and decision making. Understanding these trends can guide resource allocation effectively.