Health Affairs Editor Alan Weil in a recent blog post says health care institutions must "use their power to fight racism," adding that it is insufficient to only stand against and protest it. Weil's blog post, titled "The Social Determinants of Death," spotlights social determinants of health […]
NPC Blog Post Reflects on AMCP’s Format
The National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC) in a recent blog post reflects on the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's (AMCP) Format for Formulary Submissions, which marks its 20th anniversary this year. While the Format has made significant progress over 20 years, NPC says, there remain new […]
Study Finds ‘Extensive’ Financial Relationships Between Medical Associations, Industry
A recent study published in The BMJ suggests there exist "extensive" financial ties between influential medical associations and pharmaceutical and device companies. The study by Ray Moynihan et al. found out of 328 leaders, 72 percent (235) had some sort of financial ties in the […]
Inovalon Launches New Infection Surveillance, Reporting Solution
Inovalon has launched a new infection surveillance and reporting solution to help health care facilities in real-time map infections demonstrating antibiotic resistance. According to a press release, the InfectionWatch "helps facilities meet regulatory compliance requirements and empowers them to […]
Virtual Series to Offer Insight into What’s in Store for Payers
An upcoming FierceHealthcare online virtual series will look at what payers can expect in the year ahead and beyond. "FierceHealthPayer Virtual Series: A Look at the Year Ahead for Payers" is set to kick off June 1. Featured speakers for the event are: Seema Verma, Centers for Medicare […]
COTA’s Narayanan Talks RWD in Interview with Aetion
COTA Healthcare's Life Sciences Vice President Viraj Narayanan in a recent interview with Aetion discussed how oncological real-world data can be used to support clinical development. Narayanan says COTA's RWD set houses data from a "mix of academic and community sites." There are still […]
Shafrin: VBAs ‘Will Never Make Up a Majority of Reimbursement’
Healthcare economist Jason Shafrin says that while value-based agreements can be useful in a number of situations, they won't have significant play in drug reimbursement. Shafrin points to a recent paper on value-based agreements by Dubois, Westrich and Buelt. "In short, VBAs are a useful tool […]
Article Examines Coverage of Biosimilars
A recent article published in JAMA examines how commercial health plans cover biosimilars compared to their reference products. While Congress in 2010 approved a quicker pipeline for biosimilars, the authors write, "it is unclear whether and how health plans prioritize coverage of these […]
Study: No Confirmed Benefit of Hydroxychloroquine or Chloroquine in Treatment of COVID-19
Researchers in a recent study were unable to confirm any benefits of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. "This multinational, observational, real-world study of patients with COVID-19 requiring hospitalisation found that the use of a regimen containing […]
Report: High Drug Prices Could Threaten Access to Coronavirus Treatments
Pharmaceutical companies' high pricing could threaten access to potential COVID-19 treatments, The Guardian reports. Sofosbuvir, a hepatitis C drug, costs only about $5 to manufacture, but the list price in the U.S. is a staggering $18,610, according to the report. "There has been a long […]
PRMA’s Lodowski Highlights 2020 Updates to ICER’s Value Assessment Framework
PRMA Consulting's Nicole Lodowski in a recent blog post outlines seven key areas that have been updated in the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review's (ICER) value assessment framework. According to the post, here are three of the seven key updates by ICER: Enhancing commitment to the […]
ICER Posts Report Outlining Planned Review of Supervised Injection Facilities
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) posted a new document outlining a planned review of supervised injection facilities (SIFs). According to a press release, ICER is accepting public input on the document until 5 p.m. EST June 9. An updated document will be posted about June […]
Inovalon Launches New Platform to Inform COVID-19 Action
Inovalon announced the launch of a new platform aimed at delivering data-driven insights to inform COVID-19 response plans. The Population Health Insights: COVID-19 Compass Dashboard, according to a press release, delivers actionable data to health plans, providers, employers and municipalities […]
Judge Denies Shkreli’s Request for Release
A judge denied Martin Shkreli's request to be released from prison to help in the fight against COVID-19, pharmaphorum reports. The judge in his ruling called Shkreli's plan "delusional." "Disappointed but not unexpected," Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said in response to the […]
Balancing Innovation, Common Sense to Deliver Innovative Medicines
Merck & Co.'s Mark Travers during the 9th Annual DPharm: Disruptive Innovations conference discussed how to best balance innovation with common sense to deliver innovative medicines. The talk was posted as part of a recent podcast series. "Merck is walking the walk in disrupting how to […]
Article Covers Range of Opinions on Remdesivir Pricing
A recent STAT article offers the opinions of several experts on how much Gilead's COVID-19 treatment, remdesivir, should cost. While ReVision Therapeutics' Paul Fehlner suggests the treatment should cost less than a movie ticket, Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Department […]
ICER Appoints New Members to Independent Councils
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) announced new appointments to each of its three independence evidence appraisal councils. ICER appointed the following individuals: CTAF Afsaneh Barzi, MD, PhD Associate Professor of Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer […]
Free Webinar to Outline Ways to Boost Health Care Value
The Value Institute for Health and Care is set to host a free webinar outlining ways the health care industry can "strengthen health care value." "How COVID-19 is Accelerating Health Care Transformation" is set to begin 1:15 p.m. EST May 15. "The COVID-19 pandemic sharply highlights myriad […]
Podcast Considers Insurance Costs for Self-Employed Insurers
Point6 Healthcare Assistant Vice President Brian Scott in a recent Relentless Health Value podcast discusses how self-insured employers can protect themselves from predatory health care pricing. The topic is set to be discussed in a second episode which will also feature Scott. To listen to […]
Article: Health Jobs No Longer Recession Proof
While health care jobs have been generally considered recession-proof, the COVID-19 pandemic is breaking that trend, according to a recent article published in The New York Times. Job losses in the health care industry, according to the article, reached 1.4 million in April. "This is a […]
ICER’s Venable Focuses on Patient Engagement
Yvette Venable, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review's (ICER) vice president of patient engagement, is working to foster stronger collaboration between the organization and patient groups, Pharmaceutical Executive reports. ICER as part of its mission to include the patient perspective […]
Collecting Data in the Midst of a Pandemic
Evidera's Mariah Baltezegar in a recent blog post considers how to best collect data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Baltezegar writes that the pandemic has created a ripple effect in clinical and real-world studies. "We need to be thoughtful and practical around collecting data in the current […]
ICER: Remdesivir Cost-effective at $4,460
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has established a starting point for discussion about the price of Gilead's COVID-19 treatment, Remdesivir, BioPharma Dive reports. According to the report, ICER says the drug would be cost-effective as high as $4,460, a higher estimate than […]
How Can New Software Bolster HTA?
Panelists in an on-demand webinar discuss how new software can be utilized to improve health technology assessment. "The limits of current software are being stretched to breaking points and advanced software have the potential to revolutionize the conduct of complex health technology […]
Aetion, HealthVerity Launch RWE System
Aetion and HealthVerity last month launched a new real-world evidence system aimed at helping the assessment of treatment approaches for COVID-19. Liz DeMattels, Aetion chief marketing officer, and Abby Stockwell, HealthVerity senior marketing director, in a blog post write that Real-Time […]
PRMA Offers Tips on Working From Home
PRMA Consulting in a recent blog post offers six key tips for bolstering connectivity and productivity while working from home. "It's important to normalize different working patterns, hours, and locations so that all employees – office- or home-based – are seen as (and see themselves as) equally […]
Blog: What do High Drug Prices Buy Us?
A recent Health Affairs blog post looks at what the U.S. is actually getting with such high drug prices. The authors looked at prices for 46 new drugs approved in the U.S. in 2017. "Of the 46 NMEs, 20 were found by at least one assessing agency to offer no or minor additional benefits over […]
Can Medtech Use Social Media to Generate RWE?
GP and digital RWE advisor Simon Rudland and Orbital Research CEO Peter Brady in a recent interview with Med-Tech Innovation discuss ways to utilize social media in real-world evidence generation. Brady during the interview said "the implications for medtech companies could be […]
ISPOR Launches COVID-19 News Service
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) has launched a new, COVID-19-focused service to supplement its main site. COVID-19 News offers a curated selection of content, including general news, journal resources and academic resources. "This site was […]
Podcasts Highlight Patients as Partners 2019
A new podcast series highlights panel discussions during Patients as Partners US 2019. The podcasts include: Engaging with Communities to Educate and Enroll Diverse Populations Improving Clinical Research and Trials Through Effective Pharma/Advocacy Partnerships Partnering with Patients […]
