Pfizer to research prescription drug costs for the elderly | InPharm

Published on 14/10/11 at 10:14am

Pfizer has signed a five-year research pact with US healthcare insurer Humana to investigate treatment costs for the elderly.

The deal will focus on three main therapeutics areas: chronic pain, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s.

The two firms will study prescription drug use and how it affects areas such as cost, quality of care and patient outcomes.

James Harnett, Pfizer’s senior director of US health economics and outcomes research, told Reuters that the information generated through the partnership could influence decisions about the company’s development products.

Steven Romano, senior VP of Pfizer’s primary care medicines development group, said: “Through this innovative partnership we hope to improve outcomes and health for patients.

“Together we will strive to find new solutions to address the issues of chronic illnesses that are treated in the primary care setting.”

Humana is one of the largest providers of plans under Medicare, the US government health plan for the elderly. Over the next 10 years the Medicare-eligible population is expected to grow to 65 million, which represents a 36% increase from 2010, according to a recent US census.

William Fleming, VP of Humana pharmacy solutions, said: “We are excited about this long-term research collaboration with Pfizer as the companies strive to develop an important body of knowledge that may meaningfully advance the work of our respective companies in various disease areas, population health sub-types, and intervention methods, among other things.”

Both firms said that with this significant and growing population, along with the need to more efficiently use health care resources and reduce costs, it “makes sense for two leading health care companies to join forces and address these challenges”.

Ben Adams

via inpharm.com

Posted via email from Jack's posterous