–        UIC joins network of academic researchers providing expertise on cost-effectiveness analyses in ICER reports –

Boston, Mass., and Chicago, Ill., April 14, 2017-The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Pharmacy and the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) have established a partnership focused on applying UIC researchers’ expertise in pharmacoeconomic models to complement ICER’s work in assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of medical tests, treatments, and delivery system innovations.

The UIC research team will be led by Daniel Touchette, PharmD, MA, and includes Glen Schumock, PharmD, PhD, Surrey Walton, PhD, Todd Lee, PharmD, PhD, and Simon Pickard, PhD, who are all faculty of the College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes, and Policy. They are also members of the UIC Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomic Research (CPR), an interdisciplinary research unit of the UIC College of Pharmacy and one of the few centers of its kind.

“This partnership extends the work and impact of the CPR in conducting groundbreaking research that influences public policy in the fields of pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and patient-centered outcomes research,” Dr. Touchette stated. “We are excited by the opportunity to work with ICER to further apply our efforts.”

ICER’s new drug reports include a full analysis of each therapy’s comparative effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and potential budget impact. ICER uses transparent methods to calculate for each new drug a value-based price benchmark anchored to the benefit the drug brings to patients. In developing these reports, ICER will rely on UIC to employ robust and commonly used health economics methods to estimate the comparative economic impact of selected interventions. UIC will provide expertise on the cost-effectiveness analyses, while ICER will ultimately be responsible for calculating the value-based price benchmark. In all of its reports, ICER uses transparent processes, including systematic reviews of existing scientific evidence, stakeholder meetings, a transparent and publicly available value framework, and opportunities for public comment and feedback. Each report is publicly deliberated during a meeting of one of ICER’s three independent evidence appraisal committees before a final version is released.

“ICER’s reports have the potential to inform important health care and policy decisions among patients, doctors, payers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders. For this reason, we recognize the importance of ensuring that our reports rely on the most up-to-date methodology possible,” Daniel A. Ollendorf, PhD, ICER’s Chief Scientific Officer noted. “Our collaboration with UIC will allow us to do just that, applying their proven expertise in the complexities of health economics to elevate our assessments of the value of drugs and other interventions.”

 

About UIC’s Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomic Research

The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is the largest institution of higher learning in the Chicago area, with over 26,000 undergraduate, professional, and graduate students. UIC houses the health-related schools/colleges of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1859, the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy is a leader in pharmaceutical research, consistently ranking in the top five among US pharmacy schools in total NIH-sponsored research funding.The UIC Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomic Research (CPR) is an interdisciplinary research unit of the UIC College of Pharmacy. The goal of the Center is to advance understanding of the impact of pharmacy and health care services, products, and policy by conducting research in pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and patient-centered outcomes; translating and disseminating research; and educating, training, and mentoring researchers.

About ICER

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is an independent non-profit research institute that produces reports analyzing the evidence on the effectiveness and value of drugs and other medical services. ICER’s reports include evidence-based calculations of prices for new drugs that accurately reflect the degree of improvement expected in long-term patient outcomes, while also highlighting price levels that might contribute to unaffordable short-term cost growth for the overall health care system.

ICER’s reports incorporate extensive input from all stakeholders and are the subject of public hearings through three core programs: the California Technology Assessment Forum (CTAF), the Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (Midwest CEPAC), and the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (New England CEPAC). These independent panels review ICER’s reports at public meetings to deliberate on the evidence and develop recommendations for how patients, clinicians, insurers, and policymakers can improve the quality and value of health care. For more information about ICER, please visit ICER’s website.