ISSUE: Countries in all regions of the world are facing a crisis of affordability related to the reimbursement of prescription drugs. A multitude of disruptive treatments are promising significant benefit for patients - but they come with prices that are seemingly unsustainable. Furthermore, regulators are approving drugs with lower levels of evidence, creating substantial uncertainty for payers, clinicians, and patients. Orphan Drugs, gene and cell therapies, immunotherapies and other cancer drugs, and expensive drugs used to treat more common diseases are just some of the new blockbusters that are promising to improve health outcomes, but they are also contributing to the affordability crisis.

OVERVIEW: ISPOR has created HTA Round Tables in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa as a forum for HTA experts and payers to engage in dialogue on the challenges and opportunities associated with providing sustainable access to promising new drugs. Canadian participants at the 2019 North American Round Table shared information on new approaches to HTA, price negotiation, and price regulation that are designed to improve access, appropriate use, and affordability. During this issue panel, the benefits and challenges associated with these Canadian HTA and policy initiatives will be discussed and debated. Payers in Canada (and other jurisdictions) are strongly supportive of strategies that help bend the drug cost curve while still promoting early and equitable access to promising new treatments. Conversely, patients and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry in Canada are worried that these new initiatives will impede access and in fact stifle innovation; hence they are strongly opposed to many of these initiatives, particularly the new Patented Medicine Regulations that will come into force in Canada on July 1, 2020. Because many of these initiatives are controversial, the moderator will leave time for audience participation and debate.