USE OF PHARMACOECONOMIC MESSAGES IN ONCOLOGY PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
Author(s)
Edward Kalpas, MD, MPH, Senior Analyst, Tarun Subrahmanian, MD, Senior Analyst, Lee Stern, MS, Director Analytica International, New York, NY, USA
Presentation Documents
Objective: To evaluate the presence of pharmacoeconomic messages in the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and UK for ten representative oncology products (Alimta, Avastin, Gemzar, Herceptin, Neulasta, Novantrone, Sutent, Tarceva, Taxotere, and Velcade). Methods: This qualitative assessment covered the following data sources: 1) Government websites (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen, La Haute Autorité de santé, and Cochrane Reviews); 2) company sponsored product websites; 3) FDA and EMEA products labels; and 4) promotional materials (detail aid brochures, direct mail, and professional journal/newsletter ads). These data sources were searched for relevant pharmacoeconomic messaging including statements regarding cost, QoL, utility, patient preference, etc. Results: While health technology assessments have a clear impact on market access, specific examples of pharmacoeconomic data in promotional messaging was limited. Pharmacoeconomic messages, with particular focus on QoL, were more prominent in promotional materials of oncology products in Europe as compared to the US. Conclusion: While European regulatory bodies have long-embraced QoL/PROs (along with efficacy and safety) as key endpoints for approval, the FDA is starting to acknowledge pharmacoeconomics in their evaluations. Further research is warranted to determine if there is a correlation between pharmacoeconomic messaging and product uptake, with prescription or unit sales analysis combined with large scale physician surveys on influences of prescribing patterns.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2008-05, ISPOR 2008, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Value in Health, Vol. 11, No. 3 (May/June 2008)
Code
PCN87
Topic
Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Topic Subcategory
Prescribing Behavior
Disease
Oncology