January 2024

Guest editor: Graham Cookson | Chief Executive

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Last week, the OHE team took centre stage at two parliamentary events in the important area of women’s health, showcasing our commitment to prevention and influencing health policy at the highest levels.   

 

On Tuesday, at an Epilepsy Society launch supported by Rt Hon Caroline Nokes, Nadine Henderson highlighted our recommendations from our latest report, “The Individual, Health System, and Societal Impacts of Anti-Seizure Medicine Use During Pregnancy”.     

 

Persons with epilepsy, including prospective parents with epilepsy, often rely on Anti-Seizure Medicine to control their seizures. However, many ASMs may be associated with an increased risk of serious neurodevelopmental problems and physical disabilities. Our latest report, commissioned and funded by the Epilepsy Society, estimates the financial impact of these conditions on affected individuals and their families, the NHS, and wider society. 

 

The authors were unable to calculate the aggregate impact of these conditions because the ASM-specific incidence of these conditions is largely unknown, but the reports indicates that the impact can range from £50,000 for a child with dyslexia to almost £2.5 million for individuals with extreme cases of autism spectrum disorder. 

On Wednesday, Gayathri Kumar shared the platform with the Secretary of State for Health, Victoria Atkins, and the sponsoring MP Jess Phillips to discuss our findings in "The Socioeconomic Burden Of Cervical Cancer in the UK: What are the benefits of achieving the WHO elimination target?" a report commissioned by MSD.

 

Cervical cancer's toll extends far beyond the patient and the medical realm, burdening support networks and the wider societal fabric. This new report underscores the significant socioeconomic savings that can be achieved by reaching the World Health Organization's elimination goal of 4 cases per 100,000 women. OHE’s analysis reveals that the preventable socioeconomic burden in the UK is around £406 million - equivalent to 40% of the nation's combined spending on immunisation and early detection programs pre-COVID-19. The report illustrates the prize available for the health system with the potential for the UK to save a substantial £2.6 billion from 2023 to 2046 by achieving the WHO elimination threshold. 

 

Prevention remains at the heart of our mission as we navigate through these critical issues as indicated by our landmark 2023 publication “Reimagining Prevention”. The insights presented at these events highlight the broad societal benefits of proactively addressing health challenges. But prevention is underfunded. For example, of total NHS funding, only 5% per year was allocated to preventative care between 2013-2019 and the public health grant has been cut by more than a quarter in real term since 2015/16.

 

I am proud that OHE is making waves at the UK government level. The engagement of our experts in these parliamentary discussions underlines our commitment to impactful research and evidence-based recommendations that contribute to the broader public health and prevention dialogue. 

 

Prevention is a major research theme for OHE in 2024, and along with environmental sustainability in health care, it will be the focus of the newly launched OHE Change Initiative.

NEW FROM OHE

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What is the economic impact of neurodevelopmental problems and physical disabilities associated with in utero exposure to Anti-Seizure Medications (ASMs)? 

 

In this report we explore the implications of in utero exposure to ASMs, the heightened risks of developmental problems and physical disabilities. 

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Should Veganuary become the new national norm? 

 

A shift to a plant-based diet in England could save the NHS an eye-watering £6.7 billion annually.  

 

This insight highlights evidence linking vegan diets to reduced disease risks. The potential shift could improve the strain on NHS resources and usher in transformative health changes. 

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Cervical cancer imposes a substantial burden on patients, their support networks, the NHS, and society at large.

 

This report underscores the significant socioeconomic savings that can be achieved by reaching the WHO's elimination goal of 4 cases per 100,000 women, providing further impetus to take action to reach the ambitious 2040 elimination target set by NHS England.

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Two panel sessions at ISPOR Europe 2023 in Copenhagen discussed pressing question around whether environmental impact should be factored into Health Technology Assessments (HTA). 

In this insight, we dissect how the panellists believe we could move towards the collective vision for a greener, healthier future.

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Can we solve drug shortages?  

Drug shortages are an industry-wide problem. Numerous factors may be considered as contributing to drug shortages across the globe.

 

In this report, we discuss the global issue of drug shortages, summarise the main reasons for shortages as presented in the literature and our quantitative analysis. Finally, we provide recommendations for policy makers.

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Over the last two decades, Türkiye has significantly improved population health outcomes.
The overall life expectancy reached 79 years in 2022, and the country achieved almost-universal health coverage through a universal health insurance scheme, covering 99% of the population.

 

In this insight, fly with us to Türkiye to look at the transformative journey in Health Technology Assessment (HTA). 

BREAKING THE EUROPEAN DEADLOCK

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What would a fit-for-purpose pull incentive look like?

The EU Commission has set out important but controversial proposals for an AMR pull incentive for new antibiotics.

 

In the first part of the insight series we discuss what constitutes a substantive initiative and the reason why the pull incentive program is a good investment.

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What are Transferable Exclusivity Vouchers?

 

The European Commission has proposed TEVs in the form of an additional year of regulatory data protection to developers, subject to conditions.

 

In the second part we discuss the key aspects, including a limit of 10 vouchers over 15 years, strict criteria for eligible antimicrobials and transparent R&D cost contributions.

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What is the revenue guarantee/subscription model?

 

A global pull incentive needs to offer around $3.1 billion over 10 years per drug to attract sufficient investment in antibiotic development.  

Insight 3 of this series provides an exploration of revenue guarantee/subscription models and how they could be implemented in the EU. 

 

 

OHE CAREER

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Deadline: 16 February 2024

 

Explore the world of health economics and policy with the OHE PhD Fellowship Programme at LSE. This fully funded 3-year opportunity, starting in September 2024, encourages evidence-based research on diverse topics such as competition in pharmaceutical markets, health technology assessment and more. With full tuition coverage and an annual £20,622 stipend, this opportunity is ideal for home students with an MSc or an economics background. 

 

Find out more here

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We’re looking for someone with proven experience telling an organisation’s stories through a range of mediums and with a variety of audiences in mind. In particular, they should be comfortable working with the media and have a successful track record in securing coverage. The ideal candidate will be able to write compelling copy and know how to tailor a pitch for a variety of outlets and formats.

 

Find out more here

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Deadline: 30 April 2024

 

OHE supports aspiring health economists by offering part-time studentships for the MSc in Health Economics at City, University of London. The successful candidate will receive OHE-funded part-time fees and a stipend of £1,600 monthly for two years. The fellowship includes engaging in OHE activities, having a co-supervisor from OHE staff, and committing to working with OHE for a year post-graduation. The fellowship is available for home students only.

 

Find out more here