WASHINGTON: Expensive cancer treatment in the United States has failed to reduce mortality rates, while the US government spends twice as much on cancer care as any rich country, experts said.
According to the study, scientists from Vassar University concluded that the death rate from cancer in the United States is better than the average, but the results are disappointing in terms of the amount being spent.
Research published in the May 27 issue of the journal JAMA Health Forum states that there are state-of-the-art cancer care centers in the United States. Researchers wanted to know if US investment in cancer care was paying off.
The study found that the 22 richest countries in the United States had the highest rates of cancer spending. The United States spends more than Rs.200 billion a year on cancer care, said senior researcher Kerry Grass.
The senior researcher said that the United States spends 600 600 per citizen per year, while other rich countries spend an average of ً 300. The focus of the research was on whether the United States was getting results from the money spent.
Researchers have found that the cost of caring for cancer has nothing to do with cancer mortality and it has been shown that spending more on cancer care does not necessarily mean better results in cancer mortality.
Surprisingly, six countries, including Australia, Finland, Iceland, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland, both had lower rates of cancer deaths and cancer treatment costs than the United States. Researchers said that the United States needs to rethink its policies on cancer.
