Disease landscape
Breast Cancer
In the V4 countries, a moderate level of restrictions was identified in access to both diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer assessed together. Overall GAP results in analysed countries are varying from 44 to 59 points. The overall score is mainly influenced by the low proportion of patients treated with modern conjugates, the benchmark for the use of innovative therapies in breast cancer. The low proportion of patients treated with these drugs is either due to the lack of reimbursement or the limitations of their reimbursement indications in 2024.
Cross-Country
General GAP for Breast Cancer
Compliance with guidelines
Between 55% and 75% of the 20 medicines recommended in the ESMO guidelines are available across individual V4 countries. The assessed therapies are most widely available in Poland, both in terms of formal reimbursement coverage and the relatively limited restrictions associated with such reimbursement.
From registration to reimbursement
Population burden
DALY* - Rate per 100k
*disability adjusted life-years
Target population
novel conjugates
Drug access
Number of patients treated (2024)
*registered in 2025
Drug access
POPULATION treated with novel conjugates (%)
*percantege of the population potentially eligible for treatment with novel conjugates
Main issues
- The average time to reimbursement for breast cancer drugs in the V4 countries is almost 3.3 years. The difference between the shortest and the longest mean time to reimbursement among the countries is 2.2 years.
- In 2024 less than 10% of patients potentially suitable for novel conjugates were treated with those drugs in the V4 countries.
- In all V4 countries, there is a significant population burden, assessed with disability adjusted life-years, related to breast cancer.
Project
We measured the gap in innovative drug access and diagnostics in selected therapeutic areas in the Visegrád (V4) countries (Poland, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia).