Access to New Medicines: Which Surrogate Endpoints Matter

Do we need to evolve the bar on evidence required for drug reimbursement? The gold standard endpoint for assessing the benefit of anti-cancer drugs has been overall survival (OS) however, more recently, there has been a trend toward using surrogate clinical trial endpoints such as progression free survival (PFS) and event-free survival (EFS). As treatments improve and patients are living longer, using OS as a primary endpoint can mean a longer time until a result is obtained. In this podcast, Dr Rebecca Tay, Medical Oncologist at Royal Hobart Hospital and ICON, discusses the critical role of improvement in quality of life in assessing drugs that are funded on the PBS, the nuances around clinical trial endpoints and the need for surrogate endpoints that accurately predict for OS and a reimbursement system that brings beneficial treatments to patients faster. Professor Nick Pavlakis, Chair of TOGA and Medical Oncologist at Royal North Shore Hospital and Genesis Care and Dr Deme Karikios, Immediate Past Chair of MOGA and Medical Oncologist from Nepean Hospital Sydney join the conversation. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2817337 Support TOGA Thank you for listening to Conversations in Lung Cancer Research. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. --------------- Connect with TOGA Attend an Event: https://thoraciconcology.org.au/events/ Become a Member: Join the TOGA community at https://thoraciconcology.org.au/membership/ Donate: Support our research and treatment initiatives at https://thoraciconcology.org.au/support-us/donate/ Follow Us LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thoracic-oncology-group-of-australasia/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/TOGAANZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/togaanz/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Thoracic_Oncology --------------- Acknowledgement of Country The Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia Limited acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait cultures; and to Elders past and present.