Pact adds cost effectiveness to drug study

Up to now, researchers have been primarily interested in studying efficacy and safety in clinical trials. After today, you may have to start adding efficiency to the list of R&D focuses. Novartis has cut a deal with the UK's drug watchdog--NICE--to determine the cost effectiveness of an experimental therapy, according to the Financial Times. The watchdog will pocket a consultancy fee to outline what researchers will need to determine in studying costs associated with the drug, code named Novartis 001, in a Phase III trial. The move marks yet another advantage for UK officials in negotiating with drug developers. Manufacturers have already begun to offer better terms to the British government's drug agencies, an advantage of a single-payer system that can stiff-arm medications that it finds are not cost efficient.

- here's the report [1] from the Financial Times
- and here's the report [2] from Thomson Financial

ALSO: None of the new studies will be undertaken in Vienna, though. Novartis says it will close its research facility there as part of its global restructuring. Report [3]

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Lagging sales spur Novartis layoffs. Report [6]