Impacts of anticancer drug parity laws on mortality rates

Yichen Shen; Haruko Noguchi

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113714

Impacts of anticancer drug parity laws on mortality rates

Soc Sci Med. 2021 Mar:272:113714. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113714. Epub 2021 Jan 27.

Authors

Yichen Shen¹, Haruko Noguchi²

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Economics, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 169-8050, Japan. Electronic address: shenyc@toki.waseda.jp.
² Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 169-8050, Japan. Electronic address: h.noguchi@waseda.jp.

PMID: 33545495
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113714

Abstract

This study investigates the impacts of anticancer drug parity laws on mortality rates in the United States using a difference-in-differences approach. Using data from 2004 to 2017 Compressed Mortality Files, we show that the anticancer drug parity laws reduce the mortality rate for head/neck malignant cancers but have no impact on malignant cancers of other types. We also rule out an insurance expansion channel that may influence the relationship between anticancer drug parity laws and malignant cancer mortality. Our results are robust to various specifications and falsification tests. Our findings imply that providing equal access to oral anticancer drugs is an effective tool for the prevention of premature mortality.

Keywords: Anticancer drugs; Cancer treatment; Difference-in-differences approach; Drug insurance; Parity law.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
Humans
United States / epidemiology

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents