New public deliberative body is third independent evidence review panel convened by ICER

Contact: Mitchell Stein, 617-528-4013 ext. 7010, mstein@icer-review.org

Boston, Mass., November 17, 2015 – The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has expanded its national reach with the launch of the Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (Midwest CEPAC). The group will convene three times a year with public meetings to discuss ICER evidence reports, gather input on policy implications from stakeholders, and vote upon the strength of evidence on the effectiveness and value of new drugs. The group will also help frame recommendations for how the existing evidence can best be interpreted to guide clinical practice and coverage policy.

Midwest CEPAC is a core program of ICER, joining the California Technology Assessment Forum and the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, as innovative collaborations of local thought-leaders dedicated to advancing the use of evidence to improve the health care system.

“Through the launch of Midwest CEPAC, ICER is expanding the number of new drugs that will be subject to public review each year, while bringing our unique approach to public deliberation of value-based medicine to the Midwest,” stated Steven D. Pearson, MD, MSc, President of ICER. “Our reports include a full analysis of the drugs’ comparative effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and potential budget impact along with a value-based benchmark price, with the goal of producing actionable, relevant information for patients, providers and policymakers.”

The creation of this new council is made possible by a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF). LJAF works to improve value in the U.S. health care system by investing in organizations such as ICER that are focused on reducing costs and improving the quality of care. This work is part of a grant ICER received from LJAF earlier this year. In addition, the St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition (BHC) is serving as a partner to ICER in creating this new body. Initial meetings of Midwest CEPAC will be held in the St. Louis area.

“BHC is dedicated to supporting employers and patients to derive greater value from the health care dollars they spend,” stated Louise Probst, Executive Director of the St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition and the Midwest Health Initiative. “Partnering with ICER to launch the Midwest CEPAC is a critical step on that path, and one we expect to produce tangible benefits for our members, their employees and our community.”

Recruitment
ICER is recruiting members for the Midwest CEPAC that represent a wide variety of backgrounds, specialties and perspectives, and come from Midwest states. Prospective nominees should have familiarity with the interpretation and application of medical evidence in health care delivery, possibly including training in fields such as clinical epidemiology, health services research, or health economics. Relevant experience might also include public health administration, consumer/patient engagement, or policy efforts to improve access to health care.

New members will be selected to serve for a one-, two- or three-year term. All nominations should be submitted to ICER on or before January 15, 2016 and the final selection will be completed shortly thereafter with terms to begin in May of 2016. To apply, please email a CV and letter of interest to midwest-cepac@icer-review.org. Nomination by sponsoring organizations and self-nominations are both welcome.

The first public meeting of Midwest CEPAC will be held in May 2016 and members of the public are invited to attend. More details will be available in the coming weeks on the ICER website.

About Midwest CEPAC
The Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC) – a core program of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) – is an independent panel that reviews objective evidence reports and holds public meetings to develop recommendations for how patients, clinicians, insurers, and policymakers can improve the quality and value of health care. For more information about the Midwest CEPAC, please visit www.icer-review.org/midwestcepac.

About ICER
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is an independent non-profit health care research organization dedicated to improving the interpretation and application of evidence in the health care system. ICER directs three core programs: the California Technology Assessment Forum (CTAF), the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC), and Midwest CEPAC. For more information about ICER, please visit ICER’s website, www.icer-review.org.