Biosimilars have the potential to realize billions in savings for the health care system if reforms are enacted to incent their market share to grow, according to a new issue brief issued today by the Center for Medical Economics and Innovation at the California-based, free-market think tank, the Pacific Research Institute. “Biosimilars are innovative medications that can treat patients at lower costs,” said Dr. Wayne Winegarden, director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation and author of the issue brief. ...
A new poll from the California-based nonpartisan think tank, the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), shows that Americans overwhelmingly support innovative gene therapies, which change the focus of medicine from treating illnesses to curing illnesses. Click here to read the top-line results of PRI’s poll on gene therapies “Gene therapies have the potential to cure a wide array of difficult-to-treat diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease, autism, cystic fibrosis, HIV, and cancer, among others” said Dr. Wayne Winegarden, director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics...
The World Health Organization (WHO) is advocating that the price of cancer treatments are excessive, but its report that justifies this conclusion contains significant biases that drastically over-estimates the revenues multiple over research and development (R&D) costs, according to a new issue brief released today by the Center for Medical Economics and Innovation at the non-partisan Pacific Research Institute. “Cancer medications have revolutionized treatment, and it is unfortunate if the WHO’s flawed analysis jeopardizes patients’ access to these life-saving medicines” says...
Listen to CMEI Director Wayne Winegarden discuss the long-term savings of gene therapy on The Morning Show with Ken Lanphear on WKZO Radio in Kalamazoo, MI. Click here to listen to the interview...
Listen to PRI President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy Sally C. Pipes discuss a prescription drug important proposal in Colorado on "Mornings with Gail" on KFKA Radio in Northern Colorado. Click here to listen to the interview...
SAN FRANCISCO – California-based nonpartisan think tank the Pacific Research Institute today announced the launch of a new Center for Medical Economics and Innovation, which will research and advance policies showing how a thriving biomedical and pharmaceutical sector benefits both patients and economic growth. Timely research, analysis and commentary relating to medical innovation will be available at the new Center’s website - www.medecon.org. “Medical innovation is important to alleviating deadly diseases and helping Americans live long and healthy lives, and it’s also...
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The controversial medical device tax hurts doctors, patients and manufacturers and should be repealed by Congress. The medical device tax imposes a 2.3 percent tax on such common items as pacemakers, CT scan machines, dental instruments, and artificial joints. It is currently suspended. Congress isn’t even collecting the revenue it anticipated, and it has also led to lower investment in research and development in new medical technology....
Patient health is being negatively impacted by an inefficient system plagued by low provider payments and lack of access to necessary equipment. Proposed reforms to the Medicare competitive bidding process for wheelchairs, home breathing equipment, and other durable medical equipment underscore the findings of this study....
By removing barriers holding back the increased use of biosimilars, savings could be significant. In a case study of infliximab, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and other illnesses, reforms could realize an annual savings of between $412 million and $465 million....
Patients could save time and money if federal law is reformed to allow pharmacists to administer all CDC recommended vaccines. Right now, pharmacists are subject to a patchwork of laws in each state that are effectively barriers to vaccines being administered at neighborhood pharmacies. This access barrier exists even though pharmacists receive vaccination training in their pharmacy school education....
The 340B program, which was created to give discounted prescription drugs to poor Americans, is riddled with abuse. The program has created a perverse incentive for providers to profit instead of effectively serve the poor and is hurting overall health care quality....
This brief explores a tool that millions of Americans use every day when paying for prescription drugs, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, which impact prescription drug costs, access, and patient care. ...
A more realistic evaluation of U.S. prescription drug prices shows that high drug prices are not actually driving up health care costs overall and reflect the higher U.S. health care costs compared to the rest of the world....
De facto price controls will impose heavy costs on Nevada that include higher health care costs and lower health care quality....