PROBLEMS OF DRUG PROVISION FOR CANCER PATIENTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Relevance: Drug supply is a prerequisite for drug treatment of malignant neoplasms. Drug therapy is an essential component of cancer treatment. The potential of drug therapy is not the same in different human tumors. Providing an oncological patient with a full range of modern medicines is one of the main tasks of the healthcare system. Currently, the problem of the availability of drug provision for cancer patients is relevant. Today, there is a regional disparity in the provision of drug care in the country: the availability of drugs for patients is highly dependent on the economic development of the region of their residence. Drugs, especially targeted and immuno-oncological drugs, are more available in the cities of republican significance and the capital city. The study aimed to analyze the problems and find ways to improve drug provision for cancer patients in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Methods included the analysis of the current drug provision for cancer patients in the Republic of Kazakhstan, identifying problematic issues, finding solutions, and developing correct unified approaches to determining the needs of cancer patients for drugs at all stages of care. The study results highlight the current problems of drug supply for cancer patients and allow the development of ways to improve it, including in the context of combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Breakthrough technologies and new regimens of cancer treatment appear almost every month. Therefore, it is essential to make balanced and rational decisions in this area, rather than applying simplified administrative schemes for orders and purchases. Today, the oncologists of Kazakhstan can choose therapy for each cancer patient when they possess the results of relevant molecular genetic studies, know the characteristics of the tumor and the body, and have а conclusion of the multidisciplinary team. All the above gives hope for a transition to a more humane attitude towards patients when the drug choice depends on the chosen therapy’s clinical efficacy and purposefulness instead of the drug origin or price. The damage from ineffective drugs often exceeds by far the cost of effective drugs and technologies, while these effective drugs will not always be the most expensive. It is a great art to choose the drug that a particular oncological patient needs.