Successful health economics groups contribute early in the product development and pre-launch process, offering input to clinical teams
Health Economics Increasingly Impact Clinical Trial Design, Finds Cutting Edge Study
<0> Cutting Edge InformationElio Evangelista, 919-403-6583 </0>
Top-performing health economics groups actively provide input to the clinical teams, according to a new study from Cutting Edge Information. are the best resource for determining trial endpoints that interest payers. At 15% of Top-20 pharmaceutical companies surveyed, health economics teams work closely with clinical trials.
Cutting Edge Information’s recent study, “Health Economics and Outcomes Research: Aligning Clinical and Commercial to Meet Payer Demands and Win Reimbursement,” found that although clinical data is instrumental in reimbursement discussions, companies that only analyze completed trial data to determine their product’s economic benefit typically face difficult questions from payers. Health economics teams, who are primarily responsible for developing information for payers, add valuable insight to clinical trial data analysis before the reimbursement process begins.
Often, clinical trials are designed with the US or major European markets in mind. The study found that it is more common in these markets that leverage the HEOR team’s input. At one surveyed large pharmaceutical company, clinical trial teams solicit the health economics team’s input as early as Phase 3. While this interaction is currently centered in larger markets, the study argues that the need for inter-team collaboration will grow as payers become more specific about their information needs for reimbursement decisions.
“Testing a product against a placebo may lead to in some cases, but it is unlikely to be sufficient for reimbursement,” said Michelle Vitko, senior research analyst at Cutting Edge Information. “Payers want to see that a product effectively treats a disease and that the average patient’s product use will lead to a better outcome than other products. Ideal outcomes lead to fewer doctor visits, a shorter hospital stay or lower rates of complication, all of which are expensive for payers.”
“Health Economics and Outcomes Research: Aligning Clinical and Commercial to Meet Payer Demands and Win Reimbursement,” () includes 14 highly detailed HEOR team profiles, as well as team benchmarks on structural oversight responsibilities, compensation, team size, make-up, outsourcing and centralization.
For more information about health economics and outcomes research or , contact Elio Evangelista, 919-403-6583.