Choosing the Right Balance of Health Economics Expertise: Internal Capabilities Versus External Contract Research Organi
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0092-8615/97 Copyright 0 1997 Drug Information Association Inc.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BALANCE OF HEALTH ECONOMICS EXPERTISE: INTERNAL CAPABILITIES VERSUS EXTERNAL CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS* MICHAELE. MINSHALL,MPH Senior Health Economist, Eli Lilly and Company, Global Health Economics Research, Development and Regulatory Affairs, Indianapolis, Indiana
One of the most dificult decisions any pharmaceutical-based health economist faces is how to balance the use of external health economics-focused contract research organizations (CROs) with the internal resources and capabilities of a health economics research group. The decision is multifaceted with elements of credibility, capability, and lack of resources mixed together: This paper will discuss the important decision making elements in balancing internal health economics expertise and use of external CROs with the needs of the customer: Second, the paper will suggest some decision making criterion which may aid in the allocation of individual components of a global health economics research project between internal resources and external CROs.Lastly, the paper will examine the importance of achieving the right balance between internal health economics expertise and external CROs with implicationsfor thefuture of health economics research in the pharmaceutical industry. Key Words: Health economics; Contract research organizations; Outcomes research; Communication; Pharmaceuticals
INTRODUCTION THE FIELD OF HEALTH economics research (HER)is a young and growing field with few highly trained and skilled professionals. Many health economics researchers work in the pharmaceutical industry with
*Resented at the Second Annual Conference entitled “Pharmaceutical and Managed Care Research Alliances,’’ sponsored by Barnett/Parexel, June 24-25, 1996, in Arlington, Virginia. Reprint address: Michael E. Minshall, MPH, Eli Lilly and Company, Senior Health Economist, Global Health Economics Research, Development and Regulatory Affairs, Lilly Corporate Center, Drop Code 2646, Indianapolis, IN 46285.
others employed through managed care, government-funded technology assessment groups, academia, and contract research organizations. Within the pharmaceutical industry, the field is so new that the industry has had little time to train qualified individuals in order to staff this function adequately. Conducting HER within a clinical trial setting requires a unique set of skills and knowledge which must often be taught while the individual is beginning his or her career in HER for the pharmaceutical industry. Over the past 5-10 years, a few pharmacy schools (eg, The University of Arizona) have begun to offer curriculum and degrees in the field of HER. This trend is likely to continue in
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Michael E. Minshall
the coming years as academia begins to respond to the need for trained individuals in this important and growing discipline. Pharmaceutical companies have invested heavily in health economics res
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