One of the things that isn't taken into account when the drug is approved is that at least 50% of the patients don't continue a full course of treatment. When they look at the cost analysis, they're basing it on a full course of treatment. Maybe they do two or three and it doesn't work, or maybe after two or three the patient doesn't survive. These financial considerations are not really looked into.
As well, they also look at a median survival as opposed to progression of disease as one end point, of course, but they're usually looking at the survival. I could tell you that in my own case, had I not gone with the new and novel therapies along the way, I never would have had the opportunity for the next thing that came down the pipeline.