Press Releases
IMS Introduces New Health Economics and Outcomes Research Capability in Europe
Contact Us:
Gail Nielen
+44 207 393 5103
gnielen@uk.imshealth.com
Provides Healthcare Decision Makers with Evidence-Based Insights on Cost, Value, Consequences of Treatment Options
LONDON, September 28, 2004 -- As providers and payors increasingly focus on the cost effectiveness of healthcare, IMS Health (NYSE: RX) today announced the launch of new consulting capabilities in the field of health economics and outcomes research. IMS will provide pharmaceutical companies, government agencies and other decision makers with evidence-based insights into the cost, value and anticipated consequences of therapies and treatment options -- initially through health economics model evaluations, cost-of-illness studies, disease management models and budget impact analyses.
These new capabilities leverage IMS's deep insights into pharmaceutical markets worldwide and the expertise of two recently acquired companies: GYD Institute, based in France, and HEDM (Health Economics and Disease Management), a Belgium-based research organization. Customers are based in Europe, the U.S. and Canada.
With government-mandated price constraints and reimbursement challenges affecting pharmaceutical markets in Europe and elsewhere, healthcare authorities are demanding more outcomes information to fully understand the value and impact of a drug brand throughout its lifecycle. Understanding national healthcare practices and policies is often essential to moving drugs and other treatments to market quickly to help patients.
"In Europe, there is increasing pressure from government agencies to control, or even lower, the healthcare costs that they are paying," says Professor Lieven Annemans, founder of HEDM and current president of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). "As a result, there is a growing need for accurate comparative analyses of alternative treatment options: what is the cost of each, and what are the anticipated health consequences? That’s precisely what health economic evaluation is all about: comparing the value and cost of a range of therapies."
On October 24-26, 2004, IMS will address Health Economics and Outcomes Research issues and challenges at the 7th ISPOR Annual European Congress in Hamburg, Germany. In addition, the IMS team will conduct a seminar in Bruges, Belgium on November 22-23, 2004 for healthcare industry decision makers. For more information about either of these events, contact Gail Nielen of IMS at +44 207 393 5103 or by e-mail at gnielen@uk.imshealth.com.
About IMS
Operating in more than 100 countries, IMS Health is the world's leading provider of information solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. With $1.4 billion in 2003 revenue and 50 years of industry experience, IMS offers leading-edge business intelligence products and services that are integral to clients’ day-to-day operations, including portfolio optimization capabilities; launch and brand management solutions; sales force effectiveness innovations; managed care and over-the-counter offerings; and consulting and services solutions that improve ROI and the delivery of quality healthcare worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.imshealth.com.
