CER Daily Newsfeed

Access Across Borders: Will Cross-Border Collaboration Initiatives Harmonize or Hinder Progress?

(6/20, The Evidence Base) reports “...[NPC’s Jon Campbell, PhD] focused on the HEMA initiative and the relationship between methods and access. He described HTA methods as, ‘helpful scientific tools, but not rules,’ that should be used with scientific integrity and context-sensitive judgment. ‘All HTA methods require good science, but also require the context and environment as well as judgment,’ Campbell said. He underscored that even the best methods may fall short if not applied with appropriate understanding of jurisdictional context. ‘In theory, we might have good methods that get to good evidence,’ he said, ‘but how they're used in practice and applied in that context is definitely a part of the challenge.’” Subscription Required

Value Viewpoint: June 20, 2025

(6/20, Kimberly Westrich, LinkedIn) comments “A new article published in the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research highlights three recent developments in market access and health technology assessment: The pricing paradox of combination therapies in health technology assessment: ‘as highlighted by NICE, the ‘not cost-effective at zero price’ phenomenon’; The Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on pharmaceutical innovation: ‘The study contradicts earlier claims that the IRA will have minimal impact on biopharmaceutical innovation. Instead, it reveals significant shifts in early-stage investment patterns that will likely reshape drug development priorities, with decreased focus on small molecules targeting age-related conditions.’” Full

Developing Research Network Designed to Enhance Rural Informed Care

(6/20, Karen Burbach, University of Nebraska Medical Center) reports “...The project will establish the Greater Nebraska Rural Research Network (GNRRN) and give Nebraska’s 62 critical access hospitals – which extend from Chadron to Pawnee City and communities in between – the tools and infrastructure to support research designed by and for rural practitioners and patients. Such collective problem-solving research, ultimately, will provide more rural informed care to patients and rural health care systems, said UNMC’s Carol Geary, PhD, who is leading the two-year project, titled ‘Patient-Centered CER Capacity Building in Rural Nebraska.’” Full

The Next Phase of RWE: Why Integration Matters More Than Data Collection

(6/20, Natalie Schibell, HIT Consultant) comments “...RWE is no longer a niche capability or an optional supplement to clinical trials. It is now arguably necessary to understand real-world effectiveness, patient experience, and long-term outcomes. But the challenge now is not about expanding RWE use—it’s about integrating it meaningfully into clinical, regulatory, and policy decision-making. This expanded usage means investing in data quality assurance, building internal analytic capacity, and collaborating across sectors for healthcare systems. For regulators, it means aligning standards, clarifying expectations, and accepting that RWE, like any form of evidence, will always come with limitations that must be managed, not avoided.” Full