The Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) is planning to host a webinar on scientific communications platforms. The webinar, titled "Standards and Guidance - Scientific Communications Platforms," is scheduled to kick off noon EST May 17. "Scientific communication platforms are foundational […]
CVS Health to Acquire Premier’s Specialty Pharmacy
CVS Health is set to acquire Charlotte-based Premier's specialty pharmacy branch which includes Acro Pharmaceutical Services and Commcare Pharmacy, according to a Becker's Hospital Review report. The $22.5 million acquisition was announced Monday, May 6. "Although specialty pharmacy continues to […]
MAPS Outlines Latest Edition of ‘Elevate’
In its latest newsletter, the Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) announced the May edition of "Elevate," the society's official magazine, and spotlights a number of other unique offerings. Included in this month's edition is a discussion with Lundbeck's Doug Williamson on novel operating […]
ISPOR Outlines Milestones in 2018 Annual Report
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) on Tuesday, May 7, released its 2018 Annual Report, which outlines some of the society's key milestones. According to a press release, ISPOR posted record attendance at its 2018 meeting in Europe with more than 5,500 […]
Senate Committee to Host Hearing on Drug Pricing Reform
The Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to hold a hearing on drug pricing reform 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 7. Representatives slated to testify during the hearing, titled "Intellectual Property and the Price of Prescription Drugs: Balancing Innovation and Competition," include South Carolina Department […]
Cothran, Knoth Talk Value-Based Contracts in Medicaid
Pharmacy Management Consultants (PMC) Director Terry Cothran and Eisai, Inc., Health Economics and Outcomes Research Director Russell Knoth recently discussed how value-based contracts could improve how states manage Medicaid costs. According to a DocWire News report, Cothran outlined Oklahoma's […]
Pharma Giants Join Blockchain Platform
Several major pharmaceutical companies have joined the MediLedger Project, a blockchain-powered platform aimed at addressing inefficiencies in the current supply chain, BlockPublisher reports. According to the report, Pfizer, McKesson, Amerisource Bergen Corporation and Premier Inc. have signed on […]
BCBSA, BHI Launch Analytics Challenge
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and Blue Health Intelligence (BHI) have partnered to offer a unique data analytics challenge, the winner of which will be granted access to BCBSA's data, HealthITAnalytics reports. As part of the challenge, participants will be required to comb through a […]
Article Outlines Possible Solutions to Trimming Health Costs
A recent article by Thomas Parry, president of the Integrated Benefits Institute, and Lawrence Becker, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Board of Governors member, published on CFO looks at some ways companies can cut back on health spending. "One strategic asset CFOs and benefits […]
Canadian Doctor Gives Patients Unique Prescription: Money
Canadian physician Gary Bloch for the past decade has been taking a unique approach to treating some of his patients: prescribing money. According to a Vox report, Bloch looks for ways to help his patients prop their income through welfare or disability programs. Bloch says addressing those social […]
Sharpless Looks to Keep FDA on Current Track
Acting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Ned Sharpless during two recent events showed interest, according to a Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society, in keeping the agency on a similar path as former chief Scott Gottlieb. Sharpless recently spoke at the Food and Drug Law […]
Would Drug Prices in TV Ads Push People Away or Boost Interest?
With the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) developing a proposal that would force drugmakers to include a drug's list price in direct-to-consumer TV ads, there remains some skepticism about the impact of such a rule. According to a Wall Street Journal report, consumers have expressed […]
Doctor Takes to Twitter Over Complex Health Care System
Dr. Hasan Shanawani, a top physician at the Department of Veterans Affairs, recently lit up his Twitter feed following a frustrating health care event involving his father, who had been admitted with a spinal fracture, and a convoluted health system. According to a Kaiser Health News report, […]
Trump Rebate Proposal Sees Mixed Reactions
The Trump administration's proposal to eliminate rebates between pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers has seen a flurry of mixed reactions, but most key health care groups say Medicaid should be left alone, STAT reports. The administration argues that cutting out some of the […]
Report: Shadowy Expert Committees Influence Coverage Decisions
While pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committees have had significant influence in drug coverage decisions for decades, their workings remain mostly shrouded in secrecy, Reuters reports. According to the report, experts on those committees recently suggested that three new drugs aimed at […]
ISPOR Announces Award Honorees
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) on April 29 announced three award honorees as it gears up for an upcoming award banquet as part of its 2019 meeting. The award banquet is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. May 19. ISPOR's 2019 meeting is slated to begin May 18 […]
Policymakers Slam Trump’s Step Therapy Proposal
Republicans and Democrats on a House Energy & Commerce Committee subcommittee recently criticized the Trump administration's proposal to introduce step therapy into parts of Medicare, Modern Healthcare reports. The proposal, committee members said, could threaten patient access to key […]
Opinion: Take Advantage of Cost Effectiveness to Cut Prices
Cost effectiveness assessments should be more widely used as a way to wrangle rising drug prices, the author of a recent opinion piece published in The Inquirer writes. Using cost effectiveness is one solution that could help cut drug prices without creating conflict with the pharmaceutical […]
Trump, Dems Discuss Action on Drug Prices in Meeting
President Donald Trump and Democrats during a recent meeting agreed that both parties should work together toward bipartisan solutions to lower drug prices, The Hill reports. White House Press Secretary Sarah said the discussion at the White House meeting led to some agreement about meeting again […]
Symposium to Spotlight Louisiana’s Netflix-Style Payment Model
Louisiana's proposed Netflix-style payment model to pay for curative hepatitis C medicines will take center stage at a pre-conference symposium at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research's (ISPOR) upcoming meeting in New Orleans. According to a National Pharmaceutical […]
Activists Flock to PhRMA HQ
Some 200 activists on Monday, April 29, took to the streets outside PhRMA's Washington headquarters to protest the trade association's alleged role in blocking "Medicare for All," STAT reports. The protesters later made their way through the building's entrance, according to the report, plastering […]
‘Pricing Label’ Seen on LinkedIn
We aren't sure of the original source of this graphic, although this mock pricing label references Warhaftig Associates. The developers have hit the nail on the head as perhaps a not-so-tongue-in-cheek way to address the recent call for price transparency. […]
Recent ICON Paper Points to Higher-Than Expected Impact of ICER Assessments
A recent paper by ICON suggests the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review's (ICER) drug assessments carry more weight in decision-making among payers than originally expected, according to an article published on Forbes. The white paper, titled "Industry Perceptions and Expectations: The Role […]
ISPOR Seeks Input From Membership on EMA Document
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) is asking members to complete a survey as it prepares to respond to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recent document, "EMA Regulatory Science to 2025." Members are asked to complete the survey by Tuesday, May […]
AFPE Seeks Nominations for Mentor of the Year
The American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE) is seeking nominations from its fellows as it prepares to select the 2019 AFPE William M. Heller Mentor of the Year. Past winners of the award include: Kathleen Giacomini, University of California; Gordon Amidon, University of […]
HHS Initiative Aims to Transition Primary Care Out of Fee-for-Service
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday, April 29, announced a new initiative which will look to move primary care out of a fee-for-service model and into a global fee model, according to a Modern Healthcare report. During an event in Washington, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the […]
Valid Insight Earns Prestigious Award
Global market access consultancy Valid Insight this week announced it had received a top U.K. business award, the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade. Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday, April 23, announced she had OK'd the prime minister's recommendation for Valid Insight to receive the […]
ISPOR Announces Keynote Speaker for New Orleans Meeting
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) announced Exponential Medicine Founder Daniel Kraft would deliver the keynote address for its upcoming meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. ISPOR's meeting is slated to kick off May 18 and last through May 22. The keynote […]
Deloitte’s Reh Says Trump Rebate Proposal Could Boost Value-Focused Competition
The Trump administration's point-of-sale rebate proposal could bolster value-centered competition, Deloitte Vice Chairman and life science chief Greg Reh says. According to an InsideHealthPolicy report, Reh said assessing a drug's effectiveness against alternative treatments could enable drugmakers […]
Biotech Firms Look to Outcomes-Based Pricing
Bluebird Bio is one of the latest biotech companies moving toward value-based pricing models after announcing in January it would split payments for its gene therapy to cure inherited blood disorder into five yearly installments, according to an article published in the Atlantic. According to the […]
