DUTCH ACCESS TO ONCOLOGY MEDICINES IN A EUROPEAN CONTEXT
Author(s)
Stavros Anagnostopoulos1, Emma Palsma, MSc2, Caroline van der Meijden, MSc, PhD3, Carin Uyl-De Groot, Sr., PhD4.
1Researcher, iMTA, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 2iMTA - Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 3iMTA, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 4ESHPM/iMTA Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
1Researcher, iMTA, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 2iMTA - Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 3iMTA, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 4ESHPM/iMTA Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
OBJECTIVES: Advancements in oncology have improved survival outcomes, but rising medicine prices and ageing populations increasingly pressure healthcare budgets. In the Netherlands, the “lock for expensive medicines” is used as a cost-containment measure for high-cost medicines but may limit overall access to new medicines. This study aimed to analyse the reimbursement procedures for recently approved oncology medicines subject to the Dutch “lock” and compare their reimbursement status across selected European countries.
METHODS: Announcement letters of “lock” candidate medicines published by the Dutch Ministry of Health between 2020 and 2025 were reviewed. Oncology drugs placed “in lock” across seven predefined cancer types were included. Data were extracted on reimbursement status, reimbursement timelines, and, where available, cost-effectiveness and budget impact assessments. Comparative reimbursement data were also gathered for selected European countries, based on data availability.
RESULTS: The study identified approximately 30 medications corresponding to 40 indications. Of these, around 40% were reimbursed, 30% were not reimbursed, and 30% remained “in lock” as of early 2026. The average time from European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval to a reimbursement decision was approximately two years, whilst products “in lock” had an average procedure duration of around three years. Comparative analysis with Bulgaria, England/Wales, Spain, and Poland showed that more than half to nearly three quarters of the medicines have received some form of positive reimbursement in the other countries.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that the Netherlands has a relatively low proportion of reimbursed oncology indications compared with other European countries, alongside longer reimbursement timelines of approximately two years or more after EMA approval. This may indicate a comparatively stricter assessment approach for oncology medicines in the Netherlands which could negatively affect timely access for Dutch patients.
METHODS: Announcement letters of “lock” candidate medicines published by the Dutch Ministry of Health between 2020 and 2025 were reviewed. Oncology drugs placed “in lock” across seven predefined cancer types were included. Data were extracted on reimbursement status, reimbursement timelines, and, where available, cost-effectiveness and budget impact assessments. Comparative reimbursement data were also gathered for selected European countries, based on data availability.
RESULTS: The study identified approximately 30 medications corresponding to 40 indications. Of these, around 40% were reimbursed, 30% were not reimbursed, and 30% remained “in lock” as of early 2026. The average time from European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval to a reimbursement decision was approximately two years, whilst products “in lock” had an average procedure duration of around three years. Comparative analysis with Bulgaria, England/Wales, Spain, and Poland showed that more than half to nearly three quarters of the medicines have received some form of positive reimbursement in the other countries.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that the Netherlands has a relatively low proportion of reimbursed oncology indications compared with other European countries, alongside longer reimbursement timelines of approximately two years or more after EMA approval. This may indicate a comparatively stricter assessment approach for oncology medicines in the Netherlands which could negatively affect timely access for Dutch patients.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
HPR134
Topic
Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Reimbursement & Access Policy
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Oncology