ASCO leaders recently met with representatives from the Trump Administration to discuss the delivery of high-quality, high-value cancer care as the Administration implements its “blueprint to lower drug prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs.”

Chair of ASCO’s Government Relations Committee Jeffery Ward, MD, FASCO, ASCO CEO Clifford Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO, and ASCO’s Vice President of Policy and Advocacy Deborah Kamin, RN, PhD, met with Joe Grogan, director of Health Programs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other Administration staff to discuss drug pricing and the unique needs of patients with cancer.

ASCO is working to help patients with cancer by offering to work with the Administration in its efforts to control cancer drug costs, but stressed that there are unique concerns in oncology, in part because cancer treatment has become more complex and labor-intensive in recent years, and because, in many instances, there is no good substitute for an ideal cancer drug for an individual patient.

The society strongly urged the Administration to avoid creating any barriers to cancer care as policies within the drug pricing blueprint are implemented. ASCO also offered alternative options to address the cost of cancer drugs, while maintaining the quality of cancer care, including oncology clinical pathways.

Stay tuned to ASCO in Action for updates on the Administration’s efforts to curb spending on prescription drugs and all the latest cancer policy news.