Leaders in Healthcare to Examine Impact of Comparative Effectiveness Research
on Personalized Medicine
NPC-PMC Conference to Focus on Science, Policy and Business Implications
ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Congress continues its
efforts to reform the health care system, the National Pharmaceutical Council
(NPC) and the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) will host a conference
tomorrow to explore a key topic in the debate: using comparative effectiveness
research (CER) to determine which health care treatments are most effective
while improving the quality of patient care through personalized medicine.
"Understanding how CER and personalized medicine may be aligned with each
other and putting them into practice will have policy, science, and business
implications for years to come. Health care stakeholders recognize that
getting it right, by fostering a sound environment for innovation, will help
to pave the way for effective cures for diseases in the future," said NPC
President Dan Leonard.
"Unless CER is done properly with attention to the latest developments in
molecular biology, it will not help patients because it will not account for
individual variation," said Edward Abrahams, Ph.D., PMC's executive director.
"CER usually asks what works best for most while personalized medicine asks
what works best for whom."
Earlier this year, the federal government allocated $1.1 billion for CER,
which compares available treatment options utilizing a range of research
methods. Although the goal of CER is to inform health care providers and
patients, and further enhance the quality and value of patient care, there is
a concern that CER will not be effective unless it takes into account the
genetic makeup of patients. Evidence has shown that patient subgroups may
respond differently to therapeutic options based on demographic
characteristics, genetic variation, and coexisting medical conditions, and
such differences can have a big impact on how well a medicine works for them.
The health care reform legislation approved by both the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Senate Finance Committee
acknowledge these concerns to differing extents. Similarly, an Institute of
Medicine committee also highlighted the need for CER to be used to "improve
health care at both the individual and population levels."
The conference, "Comparative Effectiveness Research and Personalized Medicine:
Science, Policy and Business" will feature leading government, business and
science stakeholders, including Dr. Janet Woodcock, Director of the Food and
Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research; Dr. Carolyn
Clancy, Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Dr. Amy
Abernethy, Associate Director of the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Institute; Dr.
Robert Epstein, Chief Medical Officer, Medco Health Solutions; Dr. Newell
McElwee, Executive Director of U.S. Outcomes Research for Merck & Co.; and
Adolph Falcon, Vice President for Science and Policy at the National Alliance
for Hispanic Health, among others. In their comments, speakers will examine
how CER has been conducted in the past; how it needs to change; and what the
implications are for pharmaceutical and other medical companies.
The conference also will highlight a report from The Lewin Group that
systematically examines the intersection of CER and personalized medicine and
defines key issues to address in developing a policy to advance the two
together. Copies of the report brief are available online at
http://www.regonline.com/custImages/253701/CER and PM Issue Brief.pdf.
About the National Pharmaceutical Council
NPC's overarching mission is to sponsor and conduct scientific analyses of the
appropriate use of biopharmaceuticals and the clinical and economic value of
innovation. The organization's strategic focus is on evidence-based medicine
(EBM) for health care decision-making, to ensure that patients have access to
high-quality care. NPC was established in 1953 and is supported by the
nation's major research-based pharmaceutical companies. For more information,
visit www.npcnow.org.
About the Personalized Medicine Coalition
The Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC), representing a broad spectrum of
academic, industrial, patient, provider, and payer communities, seeks to
advance the understanding and adoption of personalized medicine concepts and
products for the benefit of patients. For more information on the Personalized
Medicine Coalition, please visit www.PersonalizedMedicineCoalition.org.
Contacts:
Andrea Hofelich, National Pharmaceutical Council
703-715-2741 (O) 703-944-3137 (C)
Elizabeth Schwinn, Personalized Medicine Coalition
202-589-1770 (O) 202-510-3034 (C)
SOURCE Personalized Medicine Coalition
Andrea Hofelich, National Pharmaceutical Council, +1-703-715-2741 (O),
+1-703-944-3137 (C); or Elizabeth Schwinn, Personalized Medicine Coalition,
+1-202-589-1770 (O), +1-202-510-3034 (C)
