Drug therapies for immune disorders span an enormous price range—from a few cents per day to tens of thousands
of dollars per year. Not surprisingly, payers impose restrictions on the use of the most expensive agents,
especially biologics. These restrictions will inevitably intensify in the coming years, as the prevalence of immune
disorders increases.
Get the Answers You Need to Shape Your Strategy
Health technology assessment will increasingly infl uence coverage of immune disease therapies in most
markets in the future. What changes are likely in Europe? How will government support for comparative
effectiveness research affect the U.S. market?
The United States has the highest overall prices of any of the major pharmaceutical markets, but prices for immune
and infl ammatory drugs vary widely from country to country. How do European and Japanese prices
for best-selling immune disease therapies compare with prices in the United States? Which drugs in this
therapeutic area are more expensive in Europe and Japan than in the United States?
Health insurers in the United States generally offer relatively generous coverage of immune disease therapies
but are seeking to control their costs. What are the main sources of funding of drug therapy for immune
disorders in the United States? What coverage restrictions do payers impose on best-selling immune
disease therapies?
European reimbursement authorities limit access to high-priced immune disease therapies. Which drugs are
key targets for reimbursement restrictions in Europe? What role do health technology assessment bodies
play in regulating the use of drugs in this therapeutic area?
09H406-Abstract.indd 1 6/23/2009 11:26:31 AM
Decision Resources 6-2
The Japanese government has not employed the types of cost-containment measures used in the
United States and Europe. How does the Japanese healthcare system control spending on immune
disease therapies? What restrictions are imposed on off-label prescribing in Japan?
Scope
International price comparisons for immune disease therapies: tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors;
asthma therapies; immunosuppressants and cytotoxic agents; nonsteroidal anti-infl ammatory
drugs (NSAIDs); allergy remedies.
Reimbursement environment in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United
Kingdom, and Japan: general environment; musculoskeletal disorders; respiratory disorders; gastrointestinal
disorders; other disorders.
Outlook and implications for the pharmaceutical industry: impact of health reform in the United
States; cost-containment trends; prospects for biosimilars; increasing use of health technology assessment;
conditional reimbursement agreements.
(0 items)
