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Capuozzo M, Celotto V, Zovi A, Langella R, Ferrara F. Recovery of suspended reimbursements of high-cost drugs subjected to monitoring registries and negotiated agreements (MEAs): a tool for governance and clinical appropriateness in the Italian reality. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2024; 25:1-5. [PMID: 37878195 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-023-01640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The Monitoring Registries and negotiated agreements (MEAs) established by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) exemplify a pinnacle of excellence in Italian healthcare governance, playing a pivotal role in achieving economic sustainability and ensuring judicious allocation of financial resources. Within a local territorial health company catering to a populace of around 1 million individuals in Italy, an assessment of the meticulous implementation of all negotiation procedures was carried out by scrutinizing the monitoring records. This examination served to pinpoint and address potential issues in the platform management executed by healthcare professionals, including physicians and pharmacists. Such issues had the potential to result in economic setbacks owing to the non-reimbursement from pharmaceutical companies. Through diligent verification undertaken by the pharmacists, a financial recovery amounting to approximately €579,443.4 for the fiscal year 2022 was achieved. The essence of this analysis is to underscore how collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts between physicians and pharmacists yield tangible economic advantages. This collaborative approach ensures a streamlined healthcare system characterized by efficiency, devoid of unnecessary expenditures, and marked by the highest standards of care appropriateness, ultimately serving the best interests of the citizens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Capuozzo
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Marittima Street 3, Ercolano, 80056, Naples, Italy.
| | - Venere Celotto
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Castellammare, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Zovi
- Ministry of Health, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Langella
- Italian Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SIFO), SIFO Secretariat of the Lombardy Region, Carlo Farini Street, 81, 20159, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferrara
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Dell'amicizia Street 22, 80035, Naples, Nola, Italy
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Eichler HG, Kossmeier M, Zeitlinger M, Schwarzer-Daum B. Orphan drugs' clinical uncertainty and prices: Addressing allocative and technical inefficiencies in orphan drug reimbursement. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1074512. [PMID: 36778019 PMCID: PMC9909264 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1074512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Legislations incentivising orphan drug development and scientific advances have made orphan drugs pharma's high-end favourite for the past two decades. Currently, around 50% of new marketing authorizations are for orphan drugs. For third-party healthcare payers ("payers") the rise of orphan drugs presents new challenges, including a high degree of uncertainty around clinical benefits and harms, a moderate effect size (for many orphan drugs), and a high price tag. The association of high clinical uncertainty and moderate effect sizes is not surprising in small target populations but in combination with high prices creates the risk of allocative and technical inefficiencies for payers. We here discuss and illustrate these risks. A combination of policies is needed for mitigation of allocative inefficiency: while there may be a rationale for higher prices for orphan than non-orphan drugs, a focus of pricing and reimbursement negotiations should include considerations of product profitability and of the consequences of orphan drug costs on the distribution inequality of medication costs for individual insured persons, coupled to knowledge generation from reimbursement contracts covering high-price orphan drugs that would benefit the wider patient community. Performance-based managed entry agreements could help to de-risk the economic consequences of clinical uncertainty and to mitigate technical inefficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Markus Zeitlinger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Brigitte Schwarzer-Daum
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria,*Correspondence: Brigitte Schwarzer-Daum,
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Callenbach MHE, Vreman RA, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, Goettsch WG. When Reality Does Not Meet Expectations-Experiences and Perceived Attitudes of Dutch Stakeholders Regarding Payment and Reimbursement Models for High-Priced Hospital Drugs. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:340. [PMID: 36612665 PMCID: PMC9819658 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the current experiences with and future preferences for payment and reimbursement models for high-priced hospital therapies in the Netherlands, where the main barriers lie and assess how policy structures facilitate these models. A questionnaire was sent out to Dutch stakeholders (in)directly involved in payment and reimbursement agreements. The survey contained statements assessed with Likert scales, rankings and open questions. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Thirty-nine stakeholders (out of 100) (in)directly involved with reimbursement decision-making completed the survey. Our inquiry showed that currently financial-based reimbursement models are applied most, especially discounts were perceived best due to their simplicity. For the future, outcome-based reimbursement models were preferred, particularly pay-for-outcome models. The main stated challenge for implementation was generating evidence in practice. According to the respondents, upfront payments are currently implemented most often, whereas delayed payment models are preferred to be applied more frequently in the future. Particularly payment-at-outcome-achieved models are preferred; however, they were stated as administratively challenging to arrange. The respondents were moderately satisfied with the payment and reimbursement system in the Netherlands, arguing that the transparency of the final agreements and mutual trust could be improved. These insights can provide stakeholders with future direction when negotiating and implementing innovative reimbursement and payment models. Attention should be paid to the main barriers that are currently perceived as hindering a more frequent implementation of the preferred models and how national policy structures can facilitate a successful implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelien H. E. Callenbach
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology & Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rick A. Vreman
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology & Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
- National Health Care Institute (ZIN), 1112 ZA Diemen, The Netherlands
| | - Aukje K. Mantel-Teeuwisse
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology & Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wim G. Goettsch
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology & Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
- National Health Care Institute (ZIN), 1112 ZA Diemen, The Netherlands
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Simoens S, Abdallah K, Barbier L, Lacosta TB, Blonda A, Car E, Claessens Z, Desmet T, De Sutter E, Govaerts L, Janssens R, Lalova T, Moorkens E, Saesen R, Schoefs E, Vandenplas Y, Van Overbeeke E, Verbaanderd C, Huys I. How to balance valuable innovation with affordable access to medicines in Belgium? Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:960701. [PMID: 36188534 PMCID: PMC9523170 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.960701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Countries are struggling to provide affordable access to medicines while supporting the market entry of innovative, expensive products. This Perspective aims to discuss challenges and avenues for balancing health care system objectives of access, affordability and innovation related to medicines in Belgium (and in other countries). Methods: This Perspective focuses on the R&D, regulatory approval and market access phases, with particular attention to oncology medicines, precision medicines, orphan medicines, advanced therapies, repurposed medicines, generics and biosimilars. The authors conducted a narrative review of the peer-reviewed literature, of the grey literature (such as policy documents and reports of consultancy agencies), and of their own research. Results: Health care stakeholders need to consider various initiatives for balancing innovation with access to medicines, which relate to clinical and non-clinical outcomes (e.g. supporting the conduct of pragmatic clinical trials, treatment optimisation and patient preference studies, optimising the use of real-world evidence in market access decision making), value assessment (e.g. increasing the transparency of the reimbursement system and criteria, tailoring the design of managed entry agreements to specific types of uncertainty), affordability (e.g. harnessing the role of generics and biosimilars in encouraging price competition, maximising opportunities for personalising and repurposing medicines) and access mechanisms (e.g. promoting collaboration and early dialogue between stakeholders including patients). Conclusion: Although there is no silver bullet that can balance valuable innovation with affordable access to medicines, (Belgian) policy and decision makers should continue to explore initiatives that exploit the potential of both the on-patent and off-patent pharmaceutical markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Simoens
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Khadidja Abdallah
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liese Barbier
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Alessandra Blonda
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elif Car
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zilke Claessens
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Desmet
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Evelien De Sutter
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurenz Govaerts
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rosanne Janssens
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Teodora Lalova
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Centre for IT & IP Law (CiTiP), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Evelien Moorkens
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robbe Saesen
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
- European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elise Schoefs
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yannick Vandenplas
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eline Van Overbeeke
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ciska Verbaanderd
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
- Anticancer Fund, Strombeek-Bever, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Huys
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
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