Pharmaceuticals Policy and Law - Volume 13, issue 3-4

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0317

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 115-116, 2011

Authors: Dalli, John

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0318

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 117-120, 2011

Authors: Hansen, Helle Ploug | Lee, Anne

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: There is an increasing focus on designing health services that are `patient focussed'. This is also reflected in health technology assessment (HTA), with a growing emphasize on patient perspectives and involvement. The purpose of this article is to discuss why and how patient aspects may be addressed in future HTAs'. While involving patients in the HTA process we argue that the assessments of the included aspects must be based in research to provide both relevant and …valid results that can inform health policy decision makers. Patient aspects need to be explored when a technology, the organisation and/or economic aspects of a technology affect and influence patients in one way or another. "Patients" are in this sense understood as; any current or potential health service user or beneficiary of a health technology, and since illness and the use of technology often involves the family, their perspectives may also be included. When exploring patient aspects in relation to the use of technology it is necessary to reflect on the modes of knowledge. It is important that researchers bear in mind that their understanding of knowledge always have implications in relation to the validity and scope of the research results, they produce. Show more

Keywords: Patient aspects, qualitative methodology, object-knowledge, relational-knowledge

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0319

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 123-128, 2011

Authors: O'Mahony, Brian

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0320

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 129-160, 2011

Authors: Phillips, Ceri J. | Hughes, Dyfrig A.

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0321

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 161-165, 2011

Authors: Houÿez, François | Le Cam, Yann | Bignami, Fabrizia | Macchia, Flaminia | Faurisson, François

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Patients' organisations call for an assessment of the clinical added value of orphan drugs at the time of the marketing authorisation evaluation. The European Commission has commissioned Ernst & Young to explore the feasibility of a new Committee at the European Medicines Agency. A new drug candidate faces a number of hurdles on its journey to reach the patient. Regulators are the first, and right after are the Health Technology Agencies and payers. Things can turn sour, from …a political point of view, when that second scenario happens, when the regulators say "yes this drug is safe and effective" and the payers say "Oh well but we won't reimburse it". Regulators and health technology assessment experts have recently started to harmonise their respective methodologies to avoid some degree of redundancy and contradictions in their respective opinions. Patients are participating in the decision making at the European Medicines Agency, and work closely with some national regulatory agencies. More systematic involvement with health technology assessment agencies is only beginning. This paper illustrates some of the issues patients are discussing with health technology assessment bodies. Show more

Keywords: Health technology assessment, patients' representatives, Quality-Adjusted Life Years, Health Services Accessibility

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0335

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 169-176, 2011

Authors: Prevot, J. | Watters, D.

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0322

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 177-181, 2011

Authors: Hovermale, Emily | Scalchunes, Christopher | Boyle, Marcia

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The United States enacted legislation in 2010 that will promote the use of comparative effectiveness research in the making of healthcare decisions. Of concern with this relatively new mandate is the possibility of using comparative effectiveness research as a means only to mitigate costs rather than to focus on quality of care. This is of particular concern for patients with rare and chronic conditions, such as primary immunodeficiency diseases. The Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) uses their …survey research to advocate for the needs of patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases to ensure that their unique medical concerns are not overlooked but instead, integrated within an overall healthcare emphasis on personalized medicine and differences in patient treatment response. IDF research shows the efficacy of treatment with immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IG therapy) for many patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases, that IG therapy is underused in the primary immunodeficient community, and that IG therapies are unique and not interchangeable. Show more

Keywords: Comparative effectiveness research, primary immunodeficiency diseases, Immune Deficiency Foundation, IDF, immunoglobulin therapy, IG therapy

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0323

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 183-191, 2011

Authors: Bowman-Busato, Jacqueline

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Epposi is an independent, not-for-profit, partnership-led and multi-stakeholder think tank based in Brussels, Belgium, committed to supporting the realisation of the EU-2020 strategic vision through the health and wellbeing of its citizens. Our Goal is to work at the "cutting edge" of European health policy-making providing members and the wider public with high-quality independent research, capacity-building, knowledge exchange and dissemination with the aim of bridging the gap between innovation and …improved public health outcomes. Membership is equally weighted between academic sciences, industry and patient organisations. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0324

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 193-201, 2011

Authors: Chapel, Helen

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/PPL-2011-0325

Citation: Pharmaceuticals, Policy and Law, vol. 13, no. 3-4, pp. 205-212, 2011