Recent passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit in the United States may have brought the long-sought promise of prescription drug coverage for seniors who cannot afford necessary medications. Scheduled for implementation in 2006, the program will reimburse 95% of costs once beneficiaries reach a $3,600 annual out-of-pocket limit after contributing a $450 premium. There remains a healthy debate over whether or not the new $400 billion Medicare benefit goes far enough. Little known, however, is a provision in the legislation that will make roughly $50 million available for research on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. The majority of these funds are to be sent to the US Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) for distribution to the research community in the form of grants and contracts. The AHRQ has a long history of funding outcomes and cost-effectiveness research, but with constrained budgets and other pressures has not funded the basic science and methods research in the field. ISPOR membership, through the Executive office, will have an opportunity to provide input on how AHRQ will prioritize the research agenda and allocate these funds. Please contact the ISPOR office (www.ispor.org), individual Board members or me (sdsull@u.washington.edu) if you would like to express your viewpoint.

Over 1,100 individuals from 47 countries attended the 2003 ISPOR European Congress in Barcelona Attendance at the European Congress was up 20% from the Rotterdam meeting last year. Scientific sessions were filled to capacity and more than 400 posters were available for viewing. The meeting was preceded by a full-day leadership retreat in which 45 ISPOR members discussed and agreed strategies to guide the future of the Society. I want to acknowledge the hard work of the local organizing committee in Spain, especially Xavier Badia. It was a superb meeting. Make plans to attend the next European Congress, October 22-26, 2004 in Hamburg, Germany.

  Issues Index | 2003 Issues Index