30th January, 2025
Access to healthcare is not just a need—it’s a matter of survival. Yet, in many parts of the world, millions of people are unable to access their treatment due to affordability challenges. From Latin America to Asia to the Middle East and Eastern European regions to Sub-Saharan Africa, treatment affordability is shaped by a complex web of factors, including economic disparities, healthcare systems, governance structures, and geographic barriers.
To make some innovative and high-cost treatment more accessible for patients, Axios International takes a systemic and novel approach - from strategy to implementation - to design impact-driven creative access strategies that outline market access decisions.
But what are the primary barriers that prevent people from accessing treatment globally?
“The first point is the cost of treatment. There will always be a level of new innovative treatment that, regardless of the affordability of the person, will be challenging to complete the full cost,” says Omer Karfis, Global Head Access Solutions at Axios International.
“Secondly, when you look at the average income or GDP of almost 70 percent countries in the world, you will find that people cannot afford medication especially for chronic diseases. Lastly, not all countries have a health coverage that can bear the costs for high-cost treatment,” he adds.
In many parts of the world, including dynamic economies, the challenge of treatment affordability is compounded by vast geographic distances, infrastructure, shortage of healthcare funding, and the evolving cost of new and innovative treatment which reflects in the high cost of that treatments ultimately leading to disparity in access to care.
Using the Affordability and Economic models, Axios evaluates the development and implementation of a sustainable access strategy based on the country needs, country landscape, and other factors that contribute in choosing the most suitable model to be implemented.
The Affordability Model is used to measure the patient’s ability to share part of the cost for their treatment plan. The model is real demonstration for a contribution of different stakeholders with one goal which is supporting patient, in that each stakeholder participate based on their ability even patient who share part of their treatment cost based on their affordability.
Axios has addressed the problem by designing innovative cost-sharing affordability models based on geographic and economic indicators. “Implementation of affordability models in high-income countries is not suitable for a low-income population. For instance, in some countries where the average affordability is around $500 per year, the models must be designed to accommodate such financial constraints. This requires a strong collaboration among multiple stakeholders, including charities to ensure that the support system remains sustainable and effective,” he explains.
“Everyone talks about equality, but we talk about affordability and equity. We usually say one size doesn’t fit all but with an experience of 27 years designing such solutions, you will find that the most successful model was the cost sharing model based on affordability solution,” says Omer.
Meticulous process of designing an access model
The practical application of these models involves a meticulous process of design, evaluation, and continuous improvement. It begins with a thorough study to ensure the model aligns with the specific needs of a region to be sustainable. Once implemented, the model is continuously monitored and updated to reflect changes in economic conditions, healthcare systems, and patient needs. Feedback from patients, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders is vital in this process, allowing for necessary adjustments to maintain the model's relevance and effectiveness.
The core of these affordability models lies in patient-centric design and execution, ensuring that the system is not only sustainable but also compassionate and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders involved in a compliant manner.
“When Axios introduced the novel concept of making treatment more financially accessible by having patients pay what they can afford while pharmaceutical companies and other stakeholders cover the rest, it marked a significant shift in access to healthcare. The approach centered on collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to ensure their medicines reached patients regardless of affordability issues,” adds Omer.
As healthcare budgets become tighter globally, many countries are increasingly relying on innovative financial models and tailored cost-sharing initiatives to ensure that patients can access the treatments they need.
Studying a diverse approach
The global challenges of treatment affordability are vast and multifaceted, but not insurmountable. By studying the diverse approaches taken by countries around the world through Real World Insights (RWI), we can learn valuable lessons about what works—and what doesn’t. Axios utilizes RWI through its programs when they are implemented which helps improve and optimize the programs to better address the evolving patient needs.
“The traditional access models e.g. buy X get Y free are not effective as they leave a lot of patients behind and may be perceived as a marketing tool rather than access strategies by key stakeholders,” says Valeriia Mykolaienko, Senior Consultant at Axios International.
She adds: “We create solutions that work and fully address the local context and business priorities, ensuring patient needs are met.”
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