Abstract: Background: The development of new therapies does not stop, which is reflected in the fact that between 2011 and 2016, 68 new molecules have been approved for 22 different oncological indications and has a direct impact on increased survival. However, coupled with this success, there has been a substantial increase in the cost to a level that, currently, is causing serious problems to be assumed by the different Public Administrations. Among the measures to support this incipient health expenditure there are price-volume agreements, maximum spending ceilings, maximum cost per patient and/or period or shared risk agreements, but we must not forget that clinical trials can be a tool that facilitates financial sustainability. of the health system. Methods: The aim of this study was twofold: to assess the annual pharmaceutical savings associated with the treatment of cancer patients at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital during the clinical trials conducted throughout 2020, and to estimate the cost of innovative antineoplastic therapies unapproved by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products that patients receive as experimental treatment in a clinical trial. An observational and financial analysis of the drug cost savings was applied. Each clinical trial and the characteristics of the pathology were analyzed and matched with a therapeutic alternative. Direct cost savings to the Regional Health System of Cantabria were measured, related to clinical trials. The cost of innovative therapies used as an experimental treatment in clinical trials was also quantified as an investment. Results: This study includes 38 clinical trials with a sample of 101 patients. The findings indicate that overall, all the clinical trials analyzed provide a total cost savings of €603,350.21 and an average cost saving of €6,630.22 per patient. Furthermore, the final investment amounts to €789,892.67, with an average investment of €15,488.09 per patient. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that clinical trials are essential for the advancement of science. Furthermore, clinical trials can be a significant source of income for both hospitals and Regional Health Systems, contributing to their financial sustainability.

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