Inmaculada Hernandez, PharmD, PhD

Regardless of the number of manufacturers, generic drug prices presented double-digit average increases from 2012 to 2015.

The results of the study demonstrate the potential of provider-led health plans to deliver high-quality care and patient satisfaction. The relationships between these plans and outcomes differed by plan size, nonprofit status, and region.

The annual price of monoclonal antibody therapies used in oncology and hematology is about $100,000 higher than those used in other disease states.

Outcomes-based pricing arrangements for pharmaceuticals are increasingly popular. In this piece, we discuss the impact of the outcomes-based pricing arrangements proposed by Amgen on the pricing of PCSK9 inhibitor therapy, and we provide recommendations for payers on the design of outcomes-based contracts.

Using the case of oral contraceptives as an example, I explain the differences between off-label and off-guideline prescription, and explain how the inappropriate use of oral contraceptives could be reduced by the regulation of off-guideline prescription.

Oral contraception, the most widely used contraceptive method in the US, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular side effects. Despite increased awareness of this risk over the years, the use of oral contraceptives among women with conditions that place them at high risk for cardiovascular effects is still common.

Despite harsh measures imposed by the Eurogroup, a third bailout is arguably a better scenario from the perspective of access to healthcare in Greece than a potential exit from the Eurozone.

The health coverage of millions of Americans in 34 states was pending upon the Supreme Court decision on the King v Burwell case. Luckily, common sense prevailed and the Supreme Court based its ruling on the original motivation behind the creation of the exchanges rather than on the plain language used in the provision.

The availability of dabigatran 110 mg in the US may be a favorable therapeutic option for patients at high risk of bleeding, who may be willing to accept a higher probability of stroke for a reduced risk of hemorrhage

What can the US learn from the UK National Health System? Probably not acute care management, but definitely, primary care and preventive interventions.

Aggressive policies that target the use and promotion of off-label use are needed to prevent the use of drugs for non-approved indications with little benefit or with harmful outcomes.