Medicare, with little public debate, has expanded its coverage of drugs for cancer treatments not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Cancer doctors had clamored for the changes, saying that some of these treatments, known as off-label uses, were essential if patients were to receive the most up-to-date care. But for many such uses there is scant clinical evidence that the drugs are effective, despite costing as much as $10,000 a month. Because the drugs may represent a patient’s last hope, though, doctors often are willing to try them.
Proponents of the changes say such spending helps patients and can enhance medical understanding of which treatments work against various forms of cancer.
But opponents argue that the new approach may waste money and needlessly expose patients to the side effects of drugs that may not help them.
