OBJECTIVE: The introduction of immunotherapy treatments in oncology offers new opportunities and the hope to turn cancer into a chronic disease. However, there is widespread uncertainty regarding the ability of existing budgets to accommodate these costs. The overall objective of this study is to estimate the potential health and economic impact of introducing the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in Turkey.

METHODS: The Health Impact Projection (HIP) Model has been developed for estimating the health and economic impact of the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor class compared to Standard of Care (SoC). The adaptation of HIP model for Turkey is focusing on 7 cancer types (Melanoma, Non-Small Cell and Small Cell Lung Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Renal Cell Carcinoma and Triple Negative Breast Cancer) that have been assessed over a time frame of 5 years (2021–2025). Key outcomes include Overall Survival, Life Years Gained, Quality of Life Years Gained and Budget Impact. The assessment of the relative health and cost benefits were based on publicly available data sources, scientific literature, and expert opinion.

RESULTS: Results show that over the next five years, the class of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors is expected to deliver to 118,128 patients in Turkey a gain of 23,345 additional life years whilst simultaneously preventing over 14,586 adverse events (AEs) with a budget impact of approximately €1,871 million versus the current SoC treatments.

CONCLUSIONS: The PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors can deliver significant survival and life years benefits to the Turkish population with less severe AEs. The 5-year economic impact of these drugs is manageable and represents 1.67% of the expected total healthcare expenditure. The HIP model might help to reduce the uncertainty and inform the decision-makers on the health and economic impact of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in different scenarios in Turkey to facilitate continued access to these innovative treatments over time.