OBJECTIVES: Global pharmaceutical companies often conduct coordinated, multi-country studies to elicit information from payers and those who influence their decisions. Such studies can influence global product value strategy and increase the likelihood of positive pricing and reimbursement (P&R) decisions. Differences in P&R systems across markets must be considered. The aim of this study was to compare payer roles in three pharmaceutical markets (UK, Spain, Canada), and to evaluate the usefulness of various qualitative research methods in eliciting information to inform a global product value strategy.
METHODS: We conducted a review of publicly available guidance and qualitative payer research to develop a framework for comparing optimal approaches to qualitative payer research. We compared the levels at which pricing, reimbursement, and market access decisions are made (e.g., national, regional, local, hospital), bodies influencing payer decisions (e.g., health technology assessment agencies), and the processes of engagement among physicians, patients, and payers. Implications of various qualitative and quantitative research techniques on a pharmaceutical company’s ability to devise an effective global strategy are discussed.
RESULTS: Treatment location (outpatient drug, hospital only) and type of prescriber must be considered when determining the research strategy in Spain. In Canada, provincial drug plans make reimbursement decisions for outpatient drugs considering Common Drug Review recommendations. Hospital formulary committees assess drugs for hospital use. NICE, the Scottish Medicines Consortium and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Groups make decisions at the national level in the UK while Primary Care Trusts make funding decisions in the absence of NICE appraisal in England.
CONCLUSIONS: For multi-country payer research to be useful for devising a global value strategy it is important to understand the pricing and reimbursement systems in different countries and to identify properly the key stakeholders.
