In a comment letter to the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board, PIPC highlighted concerns of patients and people with disabilities related to the Board's potential use of discriminatory cost-effectiveness analyses.
PIPC's comments follow the letter sent to the Board on August 3, 2021, from 38 organizations urging it to avoid policies that would potentially discriminate by relying on discriminatory metrics such as the quality-adjusted life years (QALY) that have detrimental implications for access to needed care and treatment. Additionally, PIPC is particularly disappointed that the draft proposed regulations did not outline a robust process for engaging patients and people with disabilities.
"We are concerned that the draft regulations ignore the letter referenced above, instead specifically calling for information on cost effectiveness 'derived from health economics and outcomes research' which is known to rely on biased and discriminatory measures such as QALYs," wrote PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho. "By devaluing people with disabilities, whether in terms of their life extension or quality of life, cost effectiveness analyses relying on QALYs and similar measures have no place in our health care system."
"We are concerned that the draft regulations ignore the letter referenced above, instead specifically calling for information on cost effectiveness 'derived from health economics and outcomes research' which is known to rely on biased and discriminatory measures such as QALYs," wrote PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho. "By devaluing people with disabilities, whether in terms of their life extension or quality of life, cost effectiveness analyses relying on QALYs and similar measures have no place in our health care system."
| pipc_maryland_pdab_050223.pdf |
