The rising cost of oncology care has motivated efforts to quantify the overall value of cancer innovation. This study aimed to apply the MACBETH approach to the development of a value assessment framework (VAF) for lymphoma therapies.

A multi-attribute value theory methodological process was adopted. Analogous MCDA steps developed by the International Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) were carried out and a diverse multi-stakeholder group was recruited to construct the framework. The criteria were identified through a systematic literature review and selected according to the importance score of each criterion given by stakeholders, related research and expert opinions. The MACBETH method was used to score the performance of alternatives by establishing value functions for each criterion and to assign weight to criteria.

Nine criteria were included in the final framework and a reusable model was built: quality adjusted life years (QALYs), median progression-free survival, objective response rate, the incidence of serious adverse events (grade 3–4), rates of treatment discontinuation due to adverse events, annual direct medical costs, dosage and administration, the number of alternative medicines with the same indication and mechanism, mortality of the disease. The weights of each criterion in the order presented above are 17.43 percent, 16.11 percent, 14.39 percent,13.54 percent,11.83 percent,11.30 percent,7.08 percent,4.59 percent, and 3.73 percent.

A criterion-based valuation framework was constructed using multiple perspectives to provide a quantitative assessment tool in facilitating the delivery of affordable and valuable lymphoma treatment. Further research is needed to optimize its use as part of policy-making.