Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - (Page 23) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe January 2008 Healthcare Cost Assessment 23 frustration also on the PCOs’ side, as reflected in a statement by a senior pharmacist adviser that, “NICE’s guidance is inherently meaningless because of the dissidence between clinical evidence, political pressure and availability of funding.” A PCO may not provide an expensive drug that NICE has recommended. PCOs are locally accountable and may not be able to afford the new therapy, even if it is cost effective. This is not only down to acquisition costs, but also the costs and complications of delivering it to patients (such as additional nursing time, hospitalisation, involvement of experts or laboratory testing). The industry, the National Health Service (NHS) and the PCOs, however, are sending signals that they want to co-operate to address the issue: “This is the first time we will be able to figure out what is the true value of the implementation of a drug,” said a PCO member. Conversely, a drug found not to be cost effective by NICE may nevertheless be funded locally. This is where political and emotional factors can play a big part. For example, consultant oncologists may have started to use a drug that is not recommended by NICE. In such a case, the local therapeutics committee might not exercise their right to overturn the consultant’s decision. “It is quite difficult to stop using a drug; it is easier not to start,” said a committee member. Political and emotional pressure from patients and the general public also challenge the ‘rational’ decision only to fund the ‘cost-effective’ drugs at the local level. It is well known that cancer, especially breast cancer, is “politically more punched” than some other disease areas. The future of cost-effectiveness assessment Despite its teething problems, NICE’s approach to assessing drugs is logical and sound in principle. The methodology and institutional setting will surely keep evolving in the UK and in other countries to address current shortcomings (for example, alternative or complementary approaches to the cost/QALY ratio). A particularly exciting prospect is the proposal by the OFT of a future value-based pricing system in the UK, based on a NICE-type assessment. This is only a concept at this stage, but one that pushes to its logical conclusion the cost-effectiveness principles advocated by NICE (and is applied, at least partially, in countries such as Australia and Sweden). e-newsletter Pharm Exec Europe Direct Get more Industry News and Analysis for FREE Stay ahead of the competition with the new, twice-monthly Pharm Exec Europe e-newsletter. Pharm Exec Europe Direct is packed with news, features, commentaries, opinion polls, surveys and event information. Subscribe now by visiting www.pharmexeceurope.com and click on ‘e-newsletter’ http://www.pharmexeceurope.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 Contents From the Editor News and Analysis Calendar Corporate Strategy: Walking the Line Executive Profile: The Pharmacist’s Friend Q&A: An End to Drug Counterfeiting Healthcare Cost Assessment: Ready to Make NICE? Pricing and Reimbursement: Through the Reimbursement Barriers Generics: India Inc. The Mix: New Models of Excellence Last Word: Mid-size Matters Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 (Page 1) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 (Page 2) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - From the Editor (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - From the Editor (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Calendar (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Calendar (Page 13) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Corporate Strategy: Walking the Line (Page 14) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Corporate Strategy: Walking the Line (Page 15) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Corporate Strategy: Walking the Line (Page 16) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Corporate Strategy: Walking the Line (Page 17) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Executive Profile: The Pharmacist’s Friend (Page 18) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Executive Profile: The Pharmacist’s Friend (Page 19) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Q&A: An End to Drug Counterfeiting (Page 20) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Q&A: An End to Drug Counterfeiting (Page 21) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Healthcare Cost Assessment: Ready to Make NICE? (Page 22) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Healthcare Cost Assessment: Ready to Make NICE? (Page 23) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Healthcare Cost Assessment: Ready to Make NICE? (Page 24) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Pricing and Reimbursement: Through the Reimbursement Barriers (Page 25) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Pricing and Reimbursement: Through the Reimbursement Barriers (Page 26) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Pricing and Reimbursement: Through the Reimbursement Barriers (Page 27) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Generics: India Inc. (Page 28) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Generics: India Inc. (Page 29) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Generics: India Inc. (Page 30) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - The Mix: New Models of Excellence (Page 31) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - The Mix: New Models of Excellence (Page 32) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - The Mix: New Models of Excellence (Page 33) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - The Mix: New Models of Excellence (Page 34) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - January 2008 - Last Word: Mid-size Matters (Page 35)
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