6 Boholano, Bernadette 2BPH

June 18, 2013

Journal Article Critique Fox, J. (December 2007). The Ethics of Pharmacoeconomics from the Patients Perspective. European Journal of Cancer Supplements, 5(9), 5-6. The purpose of the article is to explain how the clinical trials, regulatory agency review and health technology assessment (HTAs) sometimes bestow the difficulty for the cancer patients to access the safe and effective therapies. The author shows a 2005 survey about the access of the patients for the cancer drugs, it shows that a great number of patients are aware that there are some cancer drugs are available in other country but not in their country; the public health authority will not reimburse the drug(s) for the availability; and they know someone who refused to access anticancer treatment because of the expenditure. The observation is important to the field of pharmacy which is new-drug development. As a pharmacist, the main goal is to give patient care; but some public health authorities still wont reimburse some anticancer drugs from other country for their people who are suffering for cancer. A Cancer person doesnt have enough time to wait for the development for a new drug. Moreover, this issue should be resolve because having a life-threatening disease, all they want is to be treat but the public health authorities sometimes block it. The study design and methods are appropriate

for the purpose of the study since it really give the perspective of the cancer patients through keypad voting survey. The procedure presented is in enough detail so that the reader will be able to duplicate them but it will be improve more if the author indicates what method they use in conducting a survey, if it is random, systematic, stratified sampling or etc. However, the title of the article is very appropriate and comprehensible. The reader would really have an idea what the article is about for just reading the title alone. There is a connection for every paragraph in that way the reader will really understand the article further. In general, the article is written smoothly although some details in the survey were not included. The purpose of the study discussed splendidly; and it is also an eyeopening for the reader and public health authorities.