Affordability and Accessibility of Therapies in mCSPC Care

This segment explores the economic and logistical challenges of accessing advanced prostate cancer therapies, emphasizing how recent policy changes and industry collaboration are reshaping affordability and availability. Panelists discuss the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, which has capped out-of-pocket Medicare expenses and improved patient access to costly oral agents such as abiraterone and ARPIs. Despite these improvements, concerns remain about foundation support for generic drugs and the complexities of navigating insurance systems. The discussion underscores the critical role of dedicated care teams—including pharmacists, financial navigators, and support staff—in securing medications and maintaining adherence. Panelists also highlight the importance of academic–industry partnerships in drug development and clinical trial accessibility, noting that many breakthroughs and community-based research opportunities would not exist without such collaboration. Ultimately, achieving equitable, sustainable care requires aligning innovation, affordability, and infrastructure to ensure that every patient can benefit from modern therapies.

Panelists noted that abiraterone, apalutamide, and enzalutamide demonstrate overall survival benefits, while darolutamide primarily delays progression. They discussed side-effect profiles and monitoring needs—highlighting the need for liver function monitoring and steroid co-administration with abiraterone—and emphasized that treatment selection often depends on balancing efficacy, toxicity, and clinician comfort.