Pharmacoeconomics, the study of the cost effectiveness of interventions such as drugs or surgical procedures, involves the joint application of drug effectiveness with cost containment strategies to assist providers in making the optimal pharmaceutical choices. 

 

The Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research

http://www.unc.edu/~uwolt2/cepor/info/execsum.htm

 

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The purpose of the Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research is to improve patient health outcomes through the use or potential use of pharmaceuticals by concentrating on methodology development, evaluative research, and the translation of research findings to clinical practice and pharmaceutical education.

 

This site thoroughly describes the importance of pharmacoeconomic research in light of current health debates surrounding increased pharmaceutical utilization and expenditures.  The Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research realizes that the relationship between costs and outcomes provides the key to arriving at efficient solutions to the allocation of limited health care dollars

 

The site is easily navigated from the above link which contains an outline of the topics covered on the site. 

 

 

Pharmacoeconomic Initiative of BC

http://www.pharmacoeconomics.ubc.ca/PI/

 

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            This site is an excellent demonstration of applied pharmacoeconomics. The site provides information about the Pharmacoeconomic Initiative, which guides and advises PharmaCare, the British Columbia provincial drug plan.  PharmaCare then utilizes the pharmacoeconomic information presented to make drug formulary decisions to select optimal cost-effective drugs for British Columbian residents.  The Pharmacoeconomic Initiative utilizes a formal structure and various pieces of information including prescription efficacy, therapeutic value analysis and cost-effective measures in determining their drug selection recommendations. 

 

 

 

 

 

International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research

http://www.ispor.org/about.html

 

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The mission of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research is to translate pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research into practice to ensure that society allocates scarce health care resources wisely, fairly, and efficiently.

The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research is an international organization promoting the science of pharmacoeconomics and health outcomes research. The International Society acts as a scientific leader relevant to research in pharmacoeconomics, health outcomes assessment, and related issues of public policy. Members of The International Society include health care researchers and practitioners including pharmacists, physicians, economists, and other health care professionals involved in pharmacoeconomic analysis and health outcomes assessment.

This site is easily navigated and provides in depth information and a discussion forum for individuals interested in pharmacoeconomics. 

 

 

Emory Center for Outcomes Research

http://www.emory.edu/WHSC/CARDIOLOGY/CVEC

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The mission of the Emory Center for Outcomes Research (ECOR) is to promote and conduct research aimed at improving patient care and/or informing health care policy, while also providing service and education in broad areas of translational, clinical, epidemiologic, and outcomes research.  They seek to provide substantial support to evidence-based medicine through the review of pharmacoeconomic data. 

The Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics

http://www.capt-actp.com/en_background.cfm

 

 

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Also available on the site is the following power point presentation:

Documents

 

Therapeutic Value Who Decides?

http://www.pharmaportal.com/articles/pe/pe1100_084-90pharmacorev.pdf

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This document presents information on how managed care decision makers perceive the value of pharmacoeconomics information, whether or how they use the data, and how it can better meet their information needs.  Written in November 2000, this is an excellent source of information on current pharmacoeconomic issues.

MCOs are cautious of firms' cost studies- Recent report explores managed care attitudes on pharmacoeconomics

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http://www.pharmrep.com/articles/1996/1/P96018a.html

 

This document discusses possible bias’ included in pharmacoeconomic reports provided by pharmaceutical companies as well as the attitudes that MCO’s had towards pharmaceutical companies.  Interestingly enough, many pharmaceutical companies now outsource pharmacoeconomic activities to Universities (i.e. North Carolina, Emory, Yale, etc.) in an effort to provide independent research and results. This article presents information as to why this change occurred through a discussion of the pharmacoeconomic environment during this time.

 

Pharmaceutical Marketing and Information Exchange
in Managed Care Environments-FDA Public Hearing

 

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http://www.fda.gov/cder/ddmac/MANAGEDCAREPANEL4.HTM

 

This lengthy document provides the viewpoints of five highly respected individuals within their field of health research where each discusses their viewpoints on the benefits and disadvantages of regulating pharmacoeconomics.  These hearings provide insight into pharmacoeconomics from a variety of angles and viewpoints and I find it to be extremely comprehensive.

Prescription Benefits, Pharmacoeconomics and Alzheimer’s Disease:  Implications for Geriatric Health Care

http://www.mmhc.com/cg/articles/CG9912/moriearty.html

 

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This document provides a thorough and comprehensive description of pharmacoeconomics, the history of pharmacoeconomics and the types of analysis utilized by managed care companies, pharmaceutical companies and PBM’s in determine formulary composition.  It continues on to discuss these topics as they relate to Alzheimer’s and provides the reader with a knowledge of applied pharmacoeconomics within a particular healthcare issue.

 

 

Evaluating and Regulating Pharmacoeconomic Information in the Private Sector

http://www.diahome.org/abstract/dij1011.pdf

 

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This document discusses the role of the FDA in regulating pharmacoeconomic guidelines and how stringent the guidelines should be.  It also reviews both public and private models used in providing and evaluating information for other industries and how these could be applied to the review of pharmacoeconomic information.

 

    

Note: The information below may contain additional relevant materials and documents. Some of the information may be duplicate. The evaluations depend on both the student doing the review and the information contained at the time of the review. Sites are subject to change!