Christophe Hilbert, senior manager of Access, Value, and Evidence Strategy, Europe at bluebird bio explores the problems of pricing and reimbursement for gene and cell therapies in Europe.
At the dawn of gene and cell therapies, it appears that our healthcare systems are not keeping pace with scientific progress. While continuous research and development has led to the rise of a new class of therapies, some of which hold curative promises, healthcare systems continue to rely on processes that were designed for previous generations of chronic treatments when making reimbursement decisions. It is thus crucial to ask whether relying on these legacy processes may put existing innovation at risk, stifling future innovation in Europe and preventing patients from having access to potentially life changing therapies?
Health Technology Assessment and price negotiation: the missing link