— Groups to analyze launch prices and patient access

of newly approved FDA treatments —

BOSTON and SAN DIEGO, September 1, 2026 — Today the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) and the West Health Policy Center announced a new collaboration to develop the 2026 “Launch Price and Access Report”, an independent analysis of drug prices and patient access for newly launched FDA-approved treatments. ICER published its first report in 2025.

“ICER is proud to work with a partner who shares our mission of addressing access and affordability challenges for patients,” stated ICER’s President and CEO Sarah K. Emond. “Together, we will provide an independent analysis on launch price trends over the past four years and assess patient access to newly launched medicines.”

“Prescription drugs are a key tool to enable healthy aging, but high prescription drug prices continue to put needed treatments out of reach for far too many Americans, including older adults” said Timothy Lash, President and Chair of the West Health Policy Center. “New drugs should improve people’s health, and the financial reward for developing them should reflect those improvements. Understanding the value of new drugs is critical for developing policies that ensure affordable access while also sending the signal to innovators that the best drugs get the best prices.” 

According to the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America’s State of the States 2025: Insights on Healthcare in America report:

  • 1 in 5 Americans say they or someone in their household couldn’t afford prescription medications in the past three months—a record high of 20%.
  • Nearly 1 in 3 skipped a needed medical procedure or test in the past year due to cost.
  • Almost half of adults worry they won’t be able to afford necessary healthcare services next year.

The new Launch Price and Access Report, to be released in October 2026, will analyze launch price trends over four years (2022-2025). It will also include an in-depth review of patient access to newly launched drugs using real-world pharmacy and medical claims data, payer coverage policies, and direct patient surveys.

The complete report timeline is available here.

About ICER

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is an independent, non-profit research institute that conducts evidence-based reviews of health care interventions, including prescription drugs, other treatments, and diagnostic tests. In collaboration with patients, clinical experts, and other key stakeholders, ICER analyzes the available evidence on the benefits and risks of these interventions to measure their value and suggest fair prices. ICER also regularly reports on the barriers to care for patients and recommends solutions to ensure fair access to prescription drugs. For more information about ICER, please visit www.icer.org. 

About West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations that include the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality and affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org.