Editor’s highlights from the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research – October 2024
In this monthly column, I share my Editor’s picks from the October issue of the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research (JCER), partner journal of The Evidence Base.
Welcome to my monthly Editor’s highlights from the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research (JCER), with my picks from the October issue (Volume 13, Issue 10). This month’s content includes an Editorial on how implementation science can aid the pharmaceutical industry; an Editorial on the current lack of understanding of market design for innovative pharmaceuticals; and a Systematic Review examining health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes in advanced breast cancer.
How pharma can amplify product value with implementation science
In a new Editorial, Olson et al. (Olson Strategies GmbH, Switzerland) discuss how pharmaceutical companies can enhance the value of their products by incorporating implementation science into their development processes. The authors argue that achieving blockbuster status for a drug requires more than just success in clinical trials. Real-world barriers, such as patient acceptance, prescriber behavior, and reimbursement challenges, often impede a drug’s market success. By addressing these barriers early through implementation science, pharmaceutical companies can not only improve patient outcomes but also increase their financial returns and benefit healthcare systems. The authors also propose a three-step approach to integrating implementation science into the drug development process.
Why is the market design for innovative pharmaceuticals not well understood?
In a further Editorial, regular author Ramagopalan and colleagues (Lane Clark & Peacock LLP, UK) explore the complexities of the market design for innovative pharmaceuticals and why it is often misunderstood. The authors argue that the pharmaceutical market is shaped by a unique combination of legal and regulatory frameworks, which create a period of market exclusivity for new drugs. This exclusivity allows pharmaceutical companies to recoup the high costs associated with drug development, including the numerous failures that never reach the market. The authors call for health economics and outcomes research professionals to take a more active role in educating policymakers and the public about the true complexities of pharmaceutical market design.
A systematic review of health-related quality of life outcomes in patients with advanced breast cancer treated with palbociclib
In their Systematic Review, Doan et al. (Pfizer, Inc., USA) evaluate the impact of palbociclib on HRQoL in patients with advanced or metastatic hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. The review includes data from 15 studies, comprising randomized controlled trials, single-arm clinical trials, and real-world evidence studies. Overall, the findings indicated that HRQoL was generally maintained, or did not worsen, when palbociclib was added to endocrine therapy.
You may also be interested in:
- Value Viewpoint – recent developments in US healthcare value and access with Kimberly Westrich: July – August 2024
- Evaluation of real-world response rate in clinical trial-aligned cohorts of patients with lung, colorectal, and breast cancer using machine learning
- Hot off the press: our pick of real-world evidence articles published in August 2024
In addition to my Editor’s highlights, you can read the full October issue of JCER here, where all the articles are Open Access and freely available to read. The journal welcomes pre-submission enquiries, so do get in touch if you would be interested in contributing.