Navigating the 340B Program: Impacts on Cancer Care and Patient Access

The 340B Drug Pricing Program was launched in the United States to provide medicines and treatments at an affordable price to vulnerable populations such as low-income, uninsured, or patients from rural areas. In the context of cancer treatment, the implementation of the 340B program was expected to expand the horizons to rural areas and allow patients to opt for specialty treatments. However, several studies have shown mixed results about the impact of the 340B program in oncology therapy, like increased accessibility of oncology therapying rural areas or no significant increase in the use of targeted therapies. This review aims to understand the evolutionary landscape of the 340B Drug Pricing Program over several decades by analyzing the data from studies regarding the benefits of this program in different healthcare entities with a main focus on cancer care.