CER Daily Newsfeed

Value Viewpoint: July 24, 2026

(7/24, Kimberly Westrich, LinkedIn) comments “A new commentary in JAMA Health Forum by KFF’s Larry Levitt, ‘Why Do We Hear More About High Drug Prices Than About Hospital Prices?’ examines why drug prices attract more scrutiny than hospitals, which represent a much larger share of national health spending...Levitt points to several reasons that drug prices tend to receive more attention: drug prices are easier to identify, quantify, and compare; patients use medicines more frequently and often pay more out of pocket for them than for hospital services; pharmaceutical companies and PBMs are the ‘public faces’ of drug pricing, while doctors and nurses are more likely to be associated with hospitals.” Full

Real-World Evidence in Transition: CRO Adaptation to the European Health Data Space Framework

(7/23, Jennifer Eriksson, Stéphanie Rio, Alexandre Malouvier, Applied Clinical Trials) comments “...EHDS represents a transformative milestone in European health data governance. By transitioning from a fragmented system to a standardized and regulated framework, it redefines the role of CROs and elevates the quality and impact of RWE. Organizations that invest in compliance, interoperability, and methodological rigor will be well positioned to contribute to a more integrated, data-driven, and patient-centered healthcare system across Europe.” Full

D.C. Appeals Court Sides with HHS in 340B Drug Discount Program Rebate Challenge

(7/23, Cailey Gleeson, Fierce Healthcare) reports “An appellate court panel ruled Tuesday that drug manufacturers may not impose 340B rebates without approval from [HHS]. The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a previous decision that Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act does not allow pharmaceutical companies to impose proposed rebate models without HHS Secretary approval...The decision did not touch on the legality of HHS' proposed rebate pilot program, which has been embraced by drugmakers and opposed by hospitals.” Full

England’s NICE Updates Quality-Of-Life Value Tool For The First Time In 30 Years

(7/23, Eliza Slawther, Pink Sheet) reports “...Cancer drugs could benefit from an update to the value set used by England’s health technology assessment institute, NICE, but other drugs for chronic conditions could be deemed less cost-effective under the proposed changes.” Subscription Required

ISPOR White Paper Recommends Coordinated Evidence Generation Across European Healthcare Decision-Making

(7/24, Katie McCool, The Evidence Base) reports “...Commenting on the publication, ISPOR Chief Executive Officer Rob Abbott said: ‘ISPOR's unique strength lies in our ability to bring together regulators, HTA bodies, payers, patients, industry, and researchers around a shared evidence agenda. As a neutral convener at the critical interface between scientific evidence and health policy, ISPOR is committed to driving the structured, multistakeholder dialogue Europe needs to move from fragmented evidence generation to a truly integrated, patient-centered system.’” Full