News from Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Articles
Medicare Inflation Rebates Show Limited Impact on Drug Price Trends
(7/14, Brooke McCormick, The American Journal of Managed Care) reports “...Overall, there was no significant association between the Medicare share of net sales and price change differences for Part B drugs (2023, P = .99; 2024, P = .09). In contrast, among Part D drugs, each 10% increase in the Medicare share of net sales was linked to a 0.18% (95% CI, 0.01%-0.35%; P = .04) higher price increase in the first year, with no significant association in the second year (P = .17).” Full
UK: New Cystic Fibrosis Triple from Vertex Backed for NHS Use
(7/15, Phil Taylor, PharmaPhorum) reports “...Reimbursement authority NICE has backed routine NHS use of Vertex's once-daily triple therapy Alyftrek (deutivacaftor/tezacaftor/vanzacaftor) for all eligible individuals with cystic fibrosis aged six and over who have at least one F508del mutation or another responsive mutation in the CFTR gene, which is faulty in the disease.” Full
Press Releases
Latest GAO Review Makes No Recommendations to PCORI for Improvement
(7/14, PCORI Press Release) “...‘PCORI welcomes the latest review by the GAO which makes no recommendations to PCORI for improvement,’ said PCORI Executive Director Nakela L. Cook, M.D., MPH. ‘This affirms PCORI’s accountable, transparent and stakeholder-driven approach to its work to fund comparative clinical effectiveness research that equips patients and others across the country with actionable information to weigh the trade-offs of health care choices and make informed decisions for themselves and their families.’” Full
Institute for Clinical and Economic Review Publishes Final Evidence Report on Treatment for Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
(7/15, ICER Press Release) “The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today released a Final Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of for the treatment of tolebrutinib (Sanofi) for the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).” Full
CMS Proposes Physician Payment Rule to Significantly Cut Spending Waste, Enhance Quality Measures, and Improve Chronic Disease Management for People with Medicare
(7/14, CMS Press Release) “...‘We are taking meaningful steps to modernize Medicare, cut waste, and improve patient care,’ said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. ‘We’re making it easier for seniors to access preventive services, incentivizing health care providers to deliver real results, and cracking down on abuse that drives up costs. This is how we protect Medicare for the next generation while helping Americans live longer, healthier lives.’” Full
Automated Insulin Delivery Pump Proved Cost-Effective in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes
(7/15, University of Eastern Finland Press Release) “...Although the overall costs of automated insulin delivery pump treatment were higher than those of conventional insulin pump treatment, its cost-effectiveness ratio was only 11,184 euros per quality-adjusted life-year, which is well below the generally accepted willingness-to-pay threshold of 50,000 euros in Finland. This is the first cost-effectiveness study of automated insulin delivery pumps conducted in Finland. The results support the use of automated insulin delivery pumps for patients with type 1 diabetes.” Full
Journals
Long-Term Health Economic Evaluation of Automated Insulin Delivery System Compared with Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Pumps and CGM in a Real-World Setting in Finnish Paediatric and Adult Individuals with Type 1 Diabetes
Heta-Leena Vallivaara BM, et al.
June 27, 2025, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
Osteoarthritis Risk Associated with Romosozumab Compared with Teriparatide in Individuals with Osteoporosis: A Target Trial Emulation Study
Masaki Hatano, et al.
July 4, 2025, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Biologics and Systemic Immunomodulatory Treatments for Chronic Urticaria: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Alexandro W L Chu, et al.
July 11, 2025, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology