ICER Assessment of Drugs for DME Posted Ahead of MEDCAC Meeting

 

 

Boston, Mass., March 12, 2012 – The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), a leading academic comparative effectiveness research group based at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Institute for Technology Assessment, recently completed a robust technology assessment of the treatment options for diabetic macular edema for the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) meeting on March 21, 2012.  MEDCAC is reviewing the evidence on anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment options for DME, a condition marked by progressive sight loss common in patients with diabetes.  

 

ICER used its expertise in comparative effectiveness research to conduct a systematic review of the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and potential harms of intravitreal agents which inhibit VEGF in patients with DME.  The full report is available online.

 

MEDCAC provides independent guidance and expert advice to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on specific clinical topics and provides judgments on the strength of the available evidence.  MEDCAC then makes recommendations to CMS based on that evidence to help guide coverage policy.  More on this meeting is available at the CMS website.  

 

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is an academic research and policy group based at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Institute for Technology Assessment.  ICER provides independent evaluation of the clinical effectiveness and comparative value of health care interventions.  There are several features of ICER’s focus and methodology that distinguish it from other comparative effectiveness assessment organizations.  First, ICER engages more deeply throughout the assessment process with all stakeholders, including patients, clinicians, manufacturers, purchasers, and payers.  ICER also includes as part of all its assessments the results of cost-effectiveness analysis, and translates its findings into ratings of comparative clinical effectiveness and comparative value.  Lastly, ICER works with all stakeholders to develop and evaluate applications of evidence to create innovative patient-clinician decision support tools, insurance benefit designs, and coverage and payment policies.  Through these activities ICER seeks to achieve its ultimate mission of informing public policy and spurring innovation in the use of evidence to improve the value of health care for all.  For more information, please visit www.icer-review.org.

 

###