November 2009  -  NAI PUBLISHED IN PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE

Reimbursement has taken on new importance to pharmaceutical manufacturers, as control over treatment decisions has moved increasingly from physicians to payers. In Reimbursement Strategy: Marketing’s Stepchild No More, published November 1, 2009 in Pharmaceutical Executive magazine, authors Michael Abrams, M.A., Managing Partner, and Rita E. Numerof, Ph.D., President of NAI, illustrate the impact of reimbursement strategy on corporate financial results. Two examples -- one in which proactive reimbursement efforts led to enormous success, another in which reimbursement addressed as an afterthought led to catastrophe -- serve to highlight key aspects of reimbursement strategy adapted to today’s evolving market environment.

October 2009  -  NAI PRESENTS AT LICENSING EXECUTIVES SOCIETY ON ECV CONSIDERATIONS IN DEAL STRATEGY

Jill Sackman, DVM, Ph.D., Senior Consultant with Numerof & Associates, Inc. (NAI), presented to members of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) at their 2009 Annual Meeting, October 19-21 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Sackman conducted a workshop on Economic and Clinical Value Considerations in Global Biomedical Device Deal Strategy. Presenters from Stanford University, Intuitive Surgical, and Advanced Sterilization Products joined her in a post-presentation panel discussion.

Commenting on the main focus of the workshop, she said "Too often, ECV assessments of potential investment opportunities are conducted in isolation by clinical research associates focused on trial design and compliance, or by regulatory affairs alert to in-country requirements for registration and approval. Although these are critical and necessary inputs into opportunity assessments, they don't substitute for an integrated analysis of economic and clinical value relative to alternatives in the target market". Dr. Sackman and panel members shared approaches they have successfully adopted for obtaining, analyzing and integrating relevant ECV data in their licensing and acquisition decisions in developed and emerging markets.

October 2009  -  NUMEROF PRESENTS TO MISSOURI HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES GROUP ON HEALTHCARE FINANCING

Rita E. Numerof, Ph.D., President of Numerof & Associates, Inc. (NAI), presented to members of the Greater St. Louis HFMA, the Missouri Healthcare Executives Group and the Midwest Gateway Chapter of Health Information Management Systems Society at their 4th Annual Conference, October 22, 2009 in Saint Charles, Missouri.

Entitled The Future Of Healthcare Financing, the focus of the meeting was on overcoming financial challenges raised by the current economic environment. Dr. Numerof joined representatives from Anthem Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, SSM Healthcare, Ascension Health, and others in a series of moderated panel discussions addressing finance-related issues. She presented as part of a panel session on Sustaining a Financially Vibrant Healthcare Organization.

For a complete agenda and information on the presenters, click here.

October 2009  -  NAI PRESENTS ON COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS AT ORTHOPEDIC SURGICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION MEETING

Jill Sackman, DVM, Ph.D., Senior Consultant with Numerof & Associates, Inc. (NAI), presented to members of the Orthopedic Surgical Manufacturers Association (OSMA) at their annual member Update On U.S. Issues, October 8-9 in Arlington, Virginia.

Dr. Sackman joined executives from Johnson & Johnson, the FDA, CDRH, and other organizations to discuss evolving regulatory trends for the medical device industry. Her presentation -- Comparative Effectiveness Research: Implications for the Orthopaedic Industry -- spoke to the status of the comparative effectiveness research initiative funded by ARRA in early 2009, and the likely consequences for medical device manufacturers.

Commenting on the growing importance of economic and clinical value provided by orthopedic products, Dr. Sackman pointed out that "CER [comparative effectiveness research] is a two edged sword -- it will clearly force new modes of thinking on the industry, but it also represents an opportunity for agile organizations to differentiate themselves in ways that have positive economic consequences."

For more information on NAI's Special Report, "The Impact of Comparative Effectiveness on the Healthcare Marketplace", please click here.

September 2009  -  NAI PUBLISHED IN MEDICAL PROGRESS TODAY ON THE IMPACT OF REGULATION ON INNOVATION

Many proponents of healthcare reform point to the need for comparative effectiveness research (CER) to guide practice in more cost effective ways. Certainly the potential is there for reducing the overall cost of treatment through more prudent use of resources. And the need for more cost effectiveness is urgent -- the US healthcare system is well on its way to bankruptcy. The question is, will CER get us there, and, as important, what will the unanticipated side effects be?

That’s the question considered by Rita Numerof, Ph.D., President of NAI in her article, Regulation’s Impact on Innovation: A Two-Edged Sword, published May 2009 in Medical Progress Today.

Dr. Numerof explores the potential impact of CER-based regulation on the development of new drugs and devices. She concludes that such intervention will inevitably alter the course and productivity of new product development in pharmaceutical and medical device companies, with consequences for the quality and pace of innovation.