We Have Prevailed
As 2020 draws to a close, the past year has seen many remarkable accomplishments in the health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) field. Let’s face it—2020 has been a difficult and challenging year and many of us are hoping that 2021 will usher in a resolution to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as find successful means for addressing the many sociopolitical issues that also plague our world. As a discipline, we have so much of which to be proud. During these challenging times, our scientists have remained dedicated to conducting cost and outcome evaluations while health technology assessment bodies have continued to inform global value-based decisions on drugs and devices. We have seen revolutionary advancements in precision medicine and digital health and are applying our methods to add even more value to these game-changing innovations. We have continued to promote real-world evidence (RWE), aggressively sought increases in database size and scope that are essential for conducting quality RWE studies, and developed machine learning methods to better analyze and act upon RWE in real time.
"During these challenging times, our scientists have remained dedicated to conducting cost and outcome evaluations while health technology assessment bodies have continued to inform global value-based decisions on drugs and devices."
When the world most needed us, we have risen to the occasion to develop epidemiological and economic models of COVID-19. We used our methods to better understand the value of basic public health strategies against a deadly pandemic—social distancing, contact tracing, and handwashing—as well as to begin to evaluate the potential cost-effectiveness of vaccines and antiviral treatments. As just one example, we highlight in this issue a study employing a discrete choice experiment to better understand Americans’ willingness to accept the tradeoffs of social distancing by measuring their preference for public health benefits over economic hardship.
During this challenging time, we have also continued to connect with each other through the ISPOR Annual Meeting that was converted to a virtual, digital platform in warp speed and was followed by the virtual Asia Pacific and European conferences. Although nothing replaces in-person networking, we have accepted Zoom as the next-best option for staying connected. For the first time, we provided news coverage of these conferences with the indispensable help and creativity of Value & Outcomes Spotlight’s talented editorial staff and ISPOR’s student members. We continued to build and advance our competencies and the competencies of others through Short Courses, Special Interest Groups, Task Forces, and the ISPOR Competency Framework that maps the knowledge and skills needed for successful HEOR professionals.
Through our unique and steadfast contributions, our accomplishments reveal to us an endurance, creativity, and drive that will beacon HEOR through even the most challenging times. If we can accomplish as much during a global pandemic and recession, then certainly 2021 holds equal promise! ISPOR needs us, our colleagues need us, HTA authorities need us, payers need us, biopharma needs us, students need us, and, most importantly, patients need us more than ever—for this year and many more years to come!
We have prevailed!
Zeba M. Khan, RPh, PhD and
Laura T. Pizzi, PharmD, MPH
Editors-in-Chief,
Value & Outcomes Spotlight
