HEOR trends - Which drivers are pushing forward further developments?

The Top 10 HEOR Trends for 2019 from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes research (ISPOR) are published and it is going to be another exciting and dynamic year. In the next months, the following aspects will be focused by ISPOR, and we will keep you updated with new insights:

1. Drug spending and pricing - Not only the pricing of pharmaceuticals, but the drug spending and its impact on payer's healthcare budget are focused with trend no. 1.
2. Going beyond universal health coverage - The discussion will focus on the unrestricted access to healthcare services for patients, particularly considering possible barriers due to different reimbursement mechanisms in different countries.
3. Real-World evidence - One of the most discussed topics in clinical research and in the regulatory process is the generation of real-world data, therefore it becomes trend no. 3.
4. Aging population – Facing the challenges of an ageing society, trend no. 4 discusses the elder care and long-term care.
5. Price transparency: Not just about drugs – Pricing policies in the health care system can vary not only between countries but also between individual institutions. Thus, they have a potential influence on the decision-making of involved parties.
6. "Big data" continue to make noise – An own trend, which might change the healthcare sector as we know it, is the opportunity to use big data as a decision support.
7. Value assessment frameworks – As trend no. 7 the development to a more value-driven health care model based on new frameworks will be analyzed.
8. Health care decision making in low-income countries – Differences in the use of health technology assessment between high-income and low-income countries for determining e.g. reimbursement are still immense and should be observed further.
9. Personalized/ precision medicine – Similar to last year, ISPOR highlights with trend no. 9 the research in gene therapies and diagnostics as well as the associated challenge of an adequate reimbursement.
10. Unhealthy behaviors –Trend no.10 addresses the underlying cause of many chronic diseases and deaths - unhealthy lifestyles.

We at SKC believe that the world is determined by VUCA. These trends show once again

• how complex the health care sector is,
• what different challenges companies and payers will face now and in the future,
• which innovations will compete with established methods and medicines,and 
• how new technologies, when properly used, can provide real support and improvement for healthcare.

The topics are therefore more than relevant as they determine the further development in the HEOR area - so now is the time to not only keep an eye on these trends, but also to anticipate potential effects and new opportunities for your own company. As strategic pathfinders, we at SKC can support you in facing future challenges and identifying and exploiting any resulting opportunities in the best possible way.

BY Prof. Matthias P. Schönermark, M.D., Ph.D., managing director and Thora Mrosowsky, M. Sc. Health Economics

Sources:
ISPOR 2019 Top 10 HEOR Trends