80% of Oncologists Cite Insurance as Major Barrier to Timely Cancer Treatment, Sermo Barometer Reveals

Global Survey of 300+ Oncologists Highlights Critical Role of Clinical Trials in Advancing Cancer Care Amid Insurance-Driven Delays

The 39th Barometer from Sermo, a fast, frictionless HCP engagement platform providing the healthcare industry with real-time business insights and authentic physician touch points, found that the majority (80%) of surveyed oncologists report that they always, often, or sometimes encounter delays in treatment initiation due to prior authorization requirements. The primary challenges oncology patients face in accessing advanced treatments, as reported by oncologists, include insurance hurdles and the complexities of prior authorization. These challenges are followed by the burden of high out-of-pocket costs and the limited availability of clinical trials.

As Dr. Guy Jones, Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director of Oncology Nevada and Sermo Medical Advisory Board member, explains, “Prior authorizations are a major burden in our field, and across cancer care in general. We've been advocating at the state-level here in Nevada for significant changes, such as automatic approvals for cases where authorizations are nearly always historically granted. It’s frustrating to see patients in pain or need urgent treatment delayed by barriers that ultimately serve no clear purpose. This process needs to be streamlined for timely care delivery.”

Barriers to Accessing Advanced Oncology Treatments:

The barometer found that more than half (54%) of surveyed oncologists always or often refer patients to clinical trials for new treatments. Oncologists are also relying heavily on data from these clinical trials in their decision-making process. The majority (77%) of oncologists believe that clinical trial data is the most influential factor in their decision to adopt a newly approved treatment.

According to a recent Nature analysis, 770 NIH research grants have been terminated as of April 7th, 2025. More than 100 clinical trials funded by the NIH are now at risk of being halted due to the terminations, likely resulting in significant interruptions to patient care.

“The barometer findings underscore the vital role clinical trials play in advancing effective patient treatments, something I hold close to my heart as a cancer survivor,” says Peter Kirk, Sermo CEO and Be Your Possible Founder. “It’s important that the community rallies around raising funds for life-saving medical research. Over the past three years, our Run for Research event has unlocked $850,000 on behalf of Sermo to more than 50 research organizations, with participation from 10,000 individuals globally. Together, we can make a meaningful impact in keeping the teams behind clinical trials innovating.”

While oncologists strive to provide patients access to innovative oncology treatments through clinical trials, significant barriers arise. For 37% of oncologists, strict eligibility criteria pose the greatest challenge. 21% cite the geographic distance to trial sites as the primary obstacle, and 16% point to the limited availability of trials for specific cancers as a major hurdle.

Dr. Jones further emphasizes, “The biggest barrier is often access. If portions of the trial can be conducted closer to home, patients could avoid unnecessary travel. Making these trials more accessible is crucial to improving patient participation.”

The Future of Oncology Treatment Plans:

• Immunotherapy: 93% of oncologists expect significant or moderate growth in immunotherapy use over the next five years.
• Biomarker Testing: 85% frequently use biomarker testing to guide treatment, but 42% cite long result turnaround times as a major challenge.
• Cancer Vaccines: 68% see cancer vaccines as transformational, though 42% identify limited clinical trial data as a key barrier.

How Oncology Teams Want to be Supported by Pharma Companies:

86% of surveyed oncologists reported being very satisfied/somewhat satisfied with the educational and patient support resources provided by pharma companies for oncology treatments. Among APPs who specialize in oncology, this sentiment increased to 94%.

When asked how pharmaceutical companies could better support them, oncologists prioritized expanded financial assistance programs (61%), followed by improved access to clinical trial information (49%) and more patient education materials (45%). While APPs value financial assistance (78%), they also prioritize real-world evidence, data sharing (54%), and better healthcare provider training (54%) as key areas of focus.

This survey was fielded from April 14th-18th, 2025 as the 39th edition of Sermo’s ongoing Barometer study. The survey included 304 global oncologists and advanced care providers. To explore more findings, visit: https://app.sermo.com/barometer.

About Sermo:

Sermo is a fast, frictionless physician engagement platform providing the healthcare industry with real-time business insights and authentic physician touchpoints through our global community of 1M+ healthcare professionals and state-of-the-art technology. For over 20 years, Sermo has been turning physician experience, expertise, and observations into actionable insights that benefit pharmaceutical companies, healthcare partners, and the medical community at large. To learn more, visit www.sermo.com.

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“The barometer findings underscore the vital role clinical trials play in advancing effective patient treatments, something I hold close to my heart as a cancer survivor,” says Peter Kirk, Sermo CEO and Be Your Possible Founder.