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Ensure Drug Quality and Safety – “Academic Detailing”

OVERVIEW

Jul 15 2008

Doctors targeted by marketing schemes tend to prescribe more, newer, and pricier drugs regardless of the drug's efficacy compared to less expensive medications - sometimes with deadly consequences. As The Prescription Project reports, Merck spent $209 million marketing the painkiller Vioxx, driving up utilization before the medical community had a full understanding of the drug's side effects. The premature and rapid adoption of Vioxx resulted in up to 139,000 heart attacks, 40% of which were fatal.

States can establish "Academic Detailing" programs to save lives and reduce costs. Academic detailing programs send highly-educated medical professionals to doctors' offices with scientific and unbiased information about which drugs are right for a given situation, countering the industry's direct-to-physician marketing and sales. Studies have found that for every dollar spent on "academic detailing," two dollars are saved.

Pennsylvania's Independent Drug Information Service program is a partnership between the state and Harvard Medical School. Elsewhere, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are creating a multi-state academic detailing collaborative with support from Prescription Policy Choices. In addition to Vermont's existing program, Maine enacted Public Law Chapter 327 in 2007 and New Hampshire enacted HB 1513 in 2008 creating academic detailing programs. Mississippi also established a program for physicians participating in Medicaid.

Resources:

The Prescription Project - Academic Detailing: Evidence-Based Prescribing Information
The Prescription Project - Cost-Effectiveness of Prescriber Education (Academic Detailing) Programs

From the Dispatch

While DC Delays, States Move Forward on Health Care Reforms

Jan 28 2010

As Congress delays moving forward on the passage of comprehensive health care reform, progressive state leaders from across the country have been demanding passage of reform as critical for families across the nation. But that doesn't mean they are waiting; state leaders are moving forward, laying the groundwork for how national changes should be implemented, and creating the momentum for other meaningful health care reforms in their states.

Rx Reforms to Address Budget Deficits and Ensure Quality of Medications

Nov 23 2009

As part of our Shared Multi-State Agenda, the Progressive States Network is working with legislators, advocates and leading experts to promote Rx reforms in 2010 that will reduce health care costs for consumers, businesses, and state and local governments, and will help ensure access to safe and effective medications. Through coordinated, strategic support, PSN and our allies will be working to introduce and advance Rx reforms that will help address state budget deficits and improve access to quality medications in as many states possible; providing model legislation, policy analysis, messaging and more - all of which has been gathered and will be constantly updated on our Prescription Drug Reform Shared Agenda web page.

The Supreme Court and the States 2008-2009: Trend Defending State Authority Emerges this Term

Jul 14 2009

Whether out of circumstance or an emerging trend, where state authority was at issue, this term the U.S. Supreme Court overwhelmingly deferred to state decision makers-- a significant reveral from last year.

States' Victory Against Preemption - FDA Approval Does not Block State Tort Claims Against Drug Makers

Mar 05 2009

In a much anticipated decision, Wyeth v. Levine, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision upheld states' right to hold the drug industry accountable for not adequately warning consumers and prescribers of a drug's impact. The pharmaceutical industry had argued that Federal Drug Administration approval of a drug's warning label pre-empts state claims of injury based on the failure by a company to warn of additional dangers not covered by the FDA-approved label. The court rejected this argument.

Focus on Prescription Drug Reform

Mar 24 2008

$287 billion -- that is how much the U.S. spent on pharmaceuticals in 2007, representing a significant driver of health care costs. While spending on hospital and physician care surpass spending on prescriptions, drugs still account for 14% of all health care expenditures. Combine this with polls that show 70% of Americans believe the drug industry puts profits ahead of people, and it's no wonder that in 2008, at least 540 bills and resolutions are being considered by states across the country to reduce prescription drug prices, ensure the quality of medications covered by public and private health plans, and reduce the undue influence of pharmaceutical industry marketing - which itself tops out at $30 billion each year.

Health-Care-for-All On the Installment Plan

Mar 03 2008

Incremental steps to improve the health care system can lay the foundation for comprehensive reform that provides health care for all. Comprehensive reforms enacted in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and San Francisco were, in large part, the result of pragmatic incremental steps those states had already taken. For example, a Families USA report discusses the many reforms Massachusetts put in place over the years that led to its comprehensive 2006 reform. Not every state is as far along in moving comprehensive health care reform, but each state does have numerous options for increasing access to coverage, reducing the growth of health care costs, and improving the quality of care.

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