Integrating Cancer Trials Into Value-Based Care: The ‘Let Me Trial’ Model in Brazil
Author(s)
Maria Carolina Buj, MD1, Andre Germano Leite, PhD2, Giovani Gadonski, PhD, MD1, JULIA LIMA, _1, Juliana Giacomazzi, BSc, PhD1, Matheus Gadonski Stortti Rosa, Other1, roberta pozza, PhD1, Stephen Doral Stefani, MBA, PhD, MD3.
1Let Me Trial, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2Unimed Serra Gaucha, Caxias do Sul, Brazil, 3Stephen Stefani Oncologia, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
1Let Me Trial, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2Unimed Serra Gaucha, Caxias do Sul, Brazil, 3Stephen Stefani Oncologia, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
OBJECTIVES: Participation in clinical trials is a cornerstone of value-based medicine, providing patients with access to innovative treatments, improving outcomes, and offering cost-saving opportunities for health insurance plans providers. This study evaluates the “Let Me Trial” model, an initiative by a Brazilian startup that integrates a clinical trial finder, consultancy for physicians to facilitate trial matching, a patient navigation service, and a health concierge service to streamline patient participation in clinical trials.
METHODS: The model was implemented within a health insurance plan serving 260,000 individuals in Northeast Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil, between Jun-Dec 2024. All patients agree and sign consent to participate. Key metrics analyzed included (pre-)screening failures, trial inclusion rates, and estimated cost savings considering the standard-of-care cancer treatment. The cost calculation was based on the number of treatment cycles each patient underwent and the acquisition cost of the medication(s) covered by the health insurance plan, considering the standard-of-care treatment for each specific pathology and stage.
RESULTS: During the study period, 171 cancer clinical trials were open for enrollment. Among 525 medical requests for initiating or switching therapy in oncology and hematology specialties, 451 (85.9%) had no available studies for the patient’s pathology and staging. Of the remaining 74, 57 (10.9%) failed pre-screening due to performance status or unmet criteria, and 8 (1.5%) failed screening due to performance status decline or absence of biomarker positivity. Seven patients (1.3%) enrolled in oncology trials, saved BRL 740,274 (USD 120,428) in treatment costs. The enrolled trials provided medications comparable or superior to standard care.
CONCLUSIONS: The “Let Me Trial” model benefits payers by reducing treatment costs, patients by improving access to innovative therapies, providers by offering streamlined trial matching, and the industry by accelerating trial enrollment. By fostering collaboration among these stakeholders, this model enhances system efficiency and supports the adoption of scalable, value-based healthcare solutions.
METHODS: The model was implemented within a health insurance plan serving 260,000 individuals in Northeast Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil, between Jun-Dec 2024. All patients agree and sign consent to participate. Key metrics analyzed included (pre-)screening failures, trial inclusion rates, and estimated cost savings considering the standard-of-care cancer treatment. The cost calculation was based on the number of treatment cycles each patient underwent and the acquisition cost of the medication(s) covered by the health insurance plan, considering the standard-of-care treatment for each specific pathology and stage.
RESULTS: During the study period, 171 cancer clinical trials were open for enrollment. Among 525 medical requests for initiating or switching therapy in oncology and hematology specialties, 451 (85.9%) had no available studies for the patient’s pathology and staging. Of the remaining 74, 57 (10.9%) failed pre-screening due to performance status or unmet criteria, and 8 (1.5%) failed screening due to performance status decline or absence of biomarker positivity. Seven patients (1.3%) enrolled in oncology trials, saved BRL 740,274 (USD 120,428) in treatment costs. The enrolled trials provided medications comparable or superior to standard care.
CONCLUSIONS: The “Let Me Trial” model benefits payers by reducing treatment costs, patients by improving access to innovative therapies, providers by offering streamlined trial matching, and the industry by accelerating trial enrollment. By fostering collaboration among these stakeholders, this model enhances system efficiency and supports the adoption of scalable, value-based healthcare solutions.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
HTA21
Topic
Health Technology Assessment
Topic Subcategory
Systems & Structure
Disease
SDC: Oncology