Barcelona, Spain was the site of this year’s European Congress. An all-time ISPOR high of over 1,100 international professionals attended the ISPOR 6th Annual European Congress at the Princesa Sofia Intercontinental, 9 November through 11 November 2003. Attendance figures reflect an increase of over 20% versus last year, following in the trend of ever-growing attendance at the ISPOR European Congresses each year.

Congress Registration
 

Sunday, 9 November 2003
After the pre-Congress morning ISPOR Short Courses, the Congress began with the grand opening of the Contributed Poster Presentations - Session I at noon. Sean Sullivan PhD, 2003-2004 ISPOR President & Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA, gave a welcome to the Congress attendees. He was then followed by the program chairs Xavier Badia Llach PhD, Managing Director, Health Outcomes Research Europe, Barcelona, Spain and Joan Rovira PhD, Senior Health Economist (Pharmaceuticals), Health, Nutrition and Population, The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA, who gave the introduction and Congress objectives. Sr. Ignasi Fina I Sanglas, the Councillor of Public Health for the Barcelona City Council extended a warm welcome on behalf of the city to those in attendance.

First Plenary Session-Using Outcomes Research in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Decisions &
Reimbursement in a Decentralized Health Care System
(l-r) Joan Rovira, PhD, Lluis Bohigas, PhD, Antoni Gilabert, PhD, MBA,
Jean-Francois Baladi MBA, Frederic Daoud, MD, MSc

The First Plenary Session, “Using Outcomes Research In Pharmaceutical And Medical Device Decisions & Reimbursement In A Decentralized Health Care System: Lessons Learned,” explored the current trends for health systems to decentralize in Europe which may create a threat to the efficiency and equity of health systems. The session was moderated by Joan Rovira PhD, and featured presentations from Lluis Bohigas MD, from Spain’s Ministry of Health, Madrid, Spain, who spoke on “The Role of Government in Medical & Reimbursement Decisions in a Decentralized System”; Antoni Gilabert MD, Head of Pharmaceutical Care & Complimentary Benefits, Catalan Department of Health, Barcelona, Spain, dealing with the topic of “The Role of the Health Systems in the Decision Process in a Decentralized System”; Jean Francois Baladi MBA, Director of Health Policy and Pharmacoeconomics, Novartis Pharma Canada, Inc., Quebec, Canada, who spoke on “Use of Outcomes Research in Pharmaceutical Medical & Reimbursement Decisions in a Decentralized System”; and Frederic Daoud MD, MSc, Epidemiologist Director, Medalliance, Paris, France, who discussed “Use of Outcomes Research in Medical Device & Diagnostic Medical & Reimbursement Decisions in a Decentralized System.”

Second Plenary Session-Opportunities and Threats of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising

After a half-hour break, the concurrent contributed Workshop Presentations were held in two sessions of 7 workshops each in the categories of quality of life study, methodology issues, health care policy-reimbursement issues, compliance issues, clinical study methodology issues, cost study methodology issues.

The first day of the 6th Annual ISPOR European Congress ended with the Exhibitors’ Open House Reception and Poster Presentations – Session I Viewing sponsored by MEDTAP International, and then the Student Welcome Reception. The topic of “Globalization of the Student Council: Building Bridges into Europe,” was presented by Ritesh Kumar MS, University of Michigan, College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Congress Welcome (l-r) Xavier Badia Llach PhD, Joan Rovira, PhD, lm. Sr. Ignasi Fina, Barcelona City Council

Monday, 10 November 2003
The morning began with a continuation of the Contributed Poster Presentations – Session I Viewing, followed by the ISPOR Distinguished Service Awards & ISPOR Research Excellence Awards Presentation. Sean Sullivan PhD, 2003-2004 ISPOR President and Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, presented the 2003 recipient of the ISPOR Research Excellence Award for Practical Application Excellence to Jean-Michel Gaspoz MD as senior author of the research paper: “Cost Effectiveness Of Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Or Both For Secondary Prevention Of Coronary Heart Disease.” The Second Plenary Session followed: “Opportunities And Threats Of Direct-To-Consumer Advertising,” which discussed trends in change in direct to consumer advertising focusing on patients taking place in Europe. The session was moderated by Xavier Badia Llach PhD. Speakers included Jeffrey L. Sturchio PhD, Merck, External Human Health Affairs, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, who spoke on the industry perspective; Charles Inlander, President, People’s Medical Society, Allentown, PA, USA, who spoke on the patient perspective; and Albert Jovell PhD, Director General, Fundació Biblioteca Josep Laporte, Barcelona, Spain, who spoke on the decision-makers perspective.
After a half-hour break, the Contributed Podium Presentations were held concurrently on values and valuation, diabetes, health care planning and management, and methods. After Lunch, sponsored by Caro Research, Exhibits & Contributed Poster Presentations – Session I and Session II of the Contributed Podium Presentations commenced featuring the categories values and valuation - Session II, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular diseases - Session I, and making evaluations work.

This was followed by concurrent Issues Panels- Session I. Session I consisted of “The Use Of Patient-Reported Outcomes Data In Economic Evaluation Studies: Do Outcomes Researchers And Health Economists Understand Each Other?” with moderator Agota Szende MSc, Research Associate, MEDTAP International, London, United Kingdom, and panelists Xavier Badia PhD, General Director, Health Outcomes Research Group, Barcelona, Spain; Nancy Leidy PhD, Global Scientific Director, MEDTAP International, Bethesda, MD, USA; Mark Nuijten PhD, MD, MBA, Director of European Business Development, MEDTAP International, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Klas Svensson MS, Senior Statistical Scientist, AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden; “Evaluating The Clinical Importance Of Differences In Pro Measures - Concepts, Methods And Integration Into Clinical Drug Development And Into The Regulatory Process,” with moderator Patrick Marquis MD, Managing Director, Mapi Values, Boston, USA; with speakers Phillipe Lehert, Eg, PhD, UN, Department of Mathmatical Statistics, University of Melbourne, WHO, Australia, University of Mons, FUCAM, Brussels, Belgium, and Meryl Brod PhD, President, The BROD GROUP, Mill Valley, CA, USA. “Adjusting International Drug Prices To Local Conditions: Differential Pricing Vs. Equity Pricing,” with moderator Fernando Antoñanzas, Professor of Economics, Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño, and SOIKOS, Barcelona, Spain, and panelists Adrian Towse MA, Mphil, Director, The Office of Health Economics, London, United Kingdom; Joan Rovira PhD, Senior Health Economist, HNP, The World Bank, Washington DC, USA; and “Methodological And Practical Challenges In Using Economic Evaluation In Drug Reimbursement Decisions,” with moderator Michael Drummond PhD, Professor of Health Economics, Centre for Health Economics, University of York, United Kingdom, and panelists Mark Sculpher PhD, Professor, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Annemarie Jansen PhD, Policy Advisor Pharmacoeconomics, College Voor Zorgverzekeringen (CVZ), The Netherlands; Per Carlsson, Associate Professor, Linköping University and Pharmaceutical Benefits Board, Sweden; Martin Backhouse, Head of Health Economics, RDI, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland; Lou Garrison PhD, Vice President, Health Economics, Roche, Switzerland. Issue Panels-Session II included “How Much Evidence Is Enough? Application Of Value Of Information Theory To Reimbursement Decisions,” with moderator Peter Neumann ScD, Associate Professor of Policy and Decision Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA, and panelists Mark Sculpher MSc, PhD, Professor, University of York, Heslington York, United Kingdom; Neil Hawkins PhD, Statistician, Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Hans Severans PhD, Universiteit Maastricht, Nymegen, The Netherlands; “Challenges For Local Companies In Attaining The Targeted Price And Maximum Reimbursement,” with moderator Jeanni van Loon MSc, General Manager Mapi Values Netherlands, Houten, The Netherlands, and panelists Annemarie Jansen PhD, Policy Advisor Pharmacoeconomics, College Voor Zorgverzekeringen (CVZ), The Netherlands; Guido van den Boom PhD, Health Outcome Manager Novartis Pharma, Arnhem, The Netherlands; Jens Grueger PhD, Head of Health Economics Department, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Basel, Switzerland; “What Incentive Do Pharmaceutical Firms Have For Pharmacogenomics?” with moderator Adrian Towse PhD, Director, Office of Health Economics, London, United Kingdom, and panelists David Veenstra PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy Program (PORPP) and Institute for Public Health Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; James Jarrett MA, Research Associate, Cambridge Genetics Knowledge Park, Cambridge, UK, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK; Sarah Wordsworth MSc, Genetics Programme Leader, Health Economics Research Centre, University of Oxford, UK; and “The Role Of Standardized Economic Disease Models For Health Technology Assessment And Reimbursement,” with moderator Joan Rovira PhD, Senior Health Economist, HNP, The World Bank, Washington DC, USA, and panelists Lou Garrison PhD, Vice President, Health Economics, Roche, Switzerland; Ron Akehurst BS, Dean of School of Health & Related Research, ScHARR, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
 

ISPOR makes its presence known again in our host facility	Ritesh Kumar MS, ISPOR Student Council Chair

Six concurrent ISPOR Forums followed. The Medical Device and Diagnostics Council Forum discussed the topic “Diagnostic Testing Provides Actionable Information - Actual Value Versus Perceived Value: Are There Any Discrepancies?” with moderator Markus Siebert MS, ISPOR European Medical Device and Diagnostics Council, Chair, Business Area Director – Economic Affairs, EUCOMED, Brussels, Belgium; with speakers M. Feldmann MD, PhD Professor, ASKLEPIOS Fachkliniken, München-Gauting, Institut für Laboratoriumsdiagnostik, Gauting, Germany, and Helmut Wenzel PhD, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Applied Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Mannheim, Germany. The Quality Of Life Special Interest Group Forum discussed the topic “Translation and Cultural Adaptation: Is it Time for a Harmonized Approach to linguistic Validation?” with moderator Pennifer Erickson PhD, Co-founder, O.L.G.A., State College, PA, USA, with speakers Diane Wild MSc, Director, Oxford Outcomes, Oxford, United Kingdom, speaking on “ISPOR's Principles of Good Practice for Translation and Cultural Adaptation,” Catherine Acquadro MD, ERIQA Group Coordinator, Mapi Research, Lyon, France, speaking on “EMEA/ERIQA Guidelines for Translation and Cultural Adaptation,” and M. Kubin MD, McS, Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Bayer, Wuppertal, Germany, speaking on “Industry Perspectives on the Role of Guidelines for Transplantation and cultural Adaptation.” The Polish Chapter Forum discussed the topic “Pharmacoeconomics in Poland: Current Status and Development Perspectives,” with moderator Marcin Czech, PhD MD MBA Clinical Research Health Economics Manager, Servier, Warsaw, Poland, and speakers Pawel Kawalec, MD, Drug Management Department, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland, who gave an introduction on “Polish Pharmaceutical Market And Pharmacoeconomics.” Marcin Czech, PhD, MD, MBA, spoke on “Pharmacoeconomics In Poland – Barriers And Perspectives,” and Tomasz Hermanowski PhD, Warsaw Business School, Warsaw, Poland, spoke on Educational Initiatives.

ISPOR Polish Chapter Forum, ISPOR 6th Annual European Congress (l-r): Marcin Czech MBA, MD, ISPOR Polish Chapter President-Elect, Clinical Research Health Econonomics Manager, Servier Polska, Warsaw, Poland; Tomasz Hermanowski PhD, ISPOR Polish Chapter Treasurer, Professor, Warsaw University of Technology-Business, Warsaw, Poland; Pawel Kawalec MD, ISPOR Polish Chapter Secretary, Specialist on Pharmacoeconomics, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

The ISPOR Russian Chapter Forum discussed the topic “The Formation of Pharmacoeconomics in Russia,” with moderator Pavel Vorobyov MD, President of RSPOR, Professor, Head of Department, Moscow Medical Academy, Moscow, Russia, with speakers Pavel Vorobyov MD, President of RSPOR, Professor, Head of Department, Moscow Medical Academy, Moscow, Russia, who spoke on “Quality Management in Russia,” Maria Avksentieva PhD, Assistant, Russian Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, Moscow, Russia, who spoke on “Experience of Pharmacoeconomic Researchers in Russia,” Maria Sura MD, Executive Director, Russian Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, Moscow, Russia, who spoke on The Formulary System of the Russian Public Health Services, and Alexander Bykov PhD, Pharmacoeconomics Manager, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Moscow, Russia, who spoke on The Drug Supply in Russia.

The Risk Management Special Interest Group Forum discussed the topic “Exploring Risk Assessment in the Development of Pharmaceuticals in Europe,” with moderator and speaker Anthony Lockett, PhD, MD, DMS, Director, Product Services, Covance, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK and Peter Davey MD, FRCP, Head of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Dundee, Department of Clinical , Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, Scotland.

The ISPOR Vision 2010 Committee Forum, lead by the ISPOR Vision 2010 committee members: Ron Akehurst, Dean of School of Health & Related Research, ScHARR, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; Karen Rascati RPh, PhD, Professor, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA; Sean Sullivan PhD, Professor and Director, University of Washington, Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy Program, Seattle, WA, USA discussed long-term strategic initiatives to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization as well as areas of growth for ISPOR.

The day ended with the Exhibitors’ Wine & Cheese Reception & Poster Presentation – Session II.

Tuesday, 11 November 2003
The 3rd day of the congress started with The Contributed Poster Presentations – Session II viewing followed by the Third Plenary Session, “Impact Of Outcomes Research Information On Real Clinical Practice,” with moderator Paul Kind MPhil, Senior Research Fellow, York University, York, UK, and speakers Peter Davey MD, FRCP, Head of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom, who spoke on the hospital perspective, Alicia Granados MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, who spoke on the Regional Health System Perspective, and Paul Wallace MD, Professor of Primary Health Care, Royal Free & University College Medical School and Director of the North Central Thames Primary Care Research Network (NoCTeN), London, United Kingdom, who spoke on the clinical practice perspective.

Session III of the Contributed Podium Presentations followed with presentations in the categories of quality of life outcomes - Session I, mental health, cardiovascular diseases - Session II, adherence/ compliance, and cost-effectiveness studies.

During Lunch, sponsored by Aegisnet with Exhibits & Contributed Poster Presentations – Session II Viewing, the ISPOR Best Poster Presentation Awards in the categories of General, New Investigator, and Student were presented by ISPOR Papers Awards Task Force Chair – European Congress, Jenifer Ehreth PhD, Director Reimbursement and Government Affairs, Medtronic Europe SA, Tolochenau, Switzerland.

Concurrent Contributed Podium Session IV followed with topics of quality of life outcomes-Session II; other cost studies, cardiovascular disease preventative studies, prescribing studies, and messages for the health care industry.

Analysis and Interpretation of Quality of Life and Patient Reported Outcomes

(l-r) 2003-2004 ISPOR President Sean Sullivan, PhD;
Barcelona Planning Committee Co-Chairman, Joan Rovira, PhD;
Barcelona Planning Committee Co-Chairman, Xavier Badia Llach, PhD

Contributed Workshops–Session III then followed with seven workshops in the 5 categories of quality of life study methodology issues, health policy/reimbursement issues, compliance issues, clinical study methodology issues, cost study methodology issues. The day concluded with Session IV Contributed workshops then seven workshops in 3 categories of health policy/reimbursement issues, clinical study methodology issues, and cost study methodology issues, followed by the ISPOR Best Podium Presentation Awards in the categories of General, New Investigator, and Student were presented by ISPOR Papers Awards Task Force Chair – European Congress, Jenifer Ehreth PhD, Director Reimbursement and Government Affairs, Medtronic Europe SA.
 

Jeffrey L. Sturchio PhD, MSD	Charles Inlander. President, People’s Medical Society	Albert Jovell PhD

 

Antoni Gilabert, PhD	Antoni Gilabert, PhD

Third Plenary Session-Impact of Outcomes Research Information on Real Clinical Practice  

  Issues Index | 2003 Issues Index