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Introducing the New Value in Health Regional Issues Journal: The Latin America Region Edition
VA L U E I N H E A LT H R E G I O N A L I S S U E S 5 C ( 2 0 1 4 ) 7 8 – 7 9
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/vhri
Note from the Editor: This editorial refers to a previous issue of Value in Health Regional Issues, Volume 1, Number 1 EDITORIAL
Introducing the New Value in Health Regional Issues Journal: The Latin America Region Edition These are exciting times for the Latin American region. Our region has developed steadily in the recent years and has a promising outlook in the current international climate. It appears that there is momentum for countries in the region to design long-term development strategies. There has been a gradual consolidation and strengthening of our democracies, and most of the region has adequately resisted the economic and financial crisis with responsible macroeconomic measures and structural reform [1]. Annual gross domestic product growth averaged 4.3% during 2010 to 2011 [2]. Health indicators, as well as health care coverage and provision, have also been improving, with some of our countries approaching universal health coverage. For example, life expectancy at birth has now risen to 74.8 years, and the infant mortality rate has declined to 15.5 per 1000 live births [2]. In the field of outcomes research, health economics, and health technology assessment (HTA), there have also been significant advances in our region since we published the Value in Health 1st Special Issue: Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research in Latin America about a year and a half ago [3]. Some regionwide examples are a recent resolution signed in September 2012 at the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference (‘‘Health technology assessment and incorporation into health systems,’’ CSP28/11) promoting the institutionalization of HTA for supporting informed decision making in our countries, or the still young REDETSA (HTA Network of the Americas) founded in 2011, which brings together the main government and academic institutions working in this field in the Americas [4]. This very young journal, Value in Health Regional Issues, and the current issue devoted to the Latin American region, comes in these exciting times, which are also reflected in a recently launched newsletter of the ISPOR Latin America Consortium [5] as well as the recent HTAi regional meeting held in Colombia in the context of the launch of the new Colombian Health Technology Institute [6]. In 2013, after having published the new Value in Health Regional Issues for Latin America, the ISPOR 4th Latin America Conference will be held in Buenos Aires [7]. The current issue (December 2012) features regionwide articles as well as studies from six Latin American countries that provide new evidence or ideas extending the current knowledge base regarding the value of health care interventions particular to the region. This first issue reflects the dynamic growth in the field with articles on economic evaluation (such as a burden of disease study on dengue in Colombia [8]); health policy studies that
provide updates on the policy situation in several Latin American countries [9]; patient-reported outcomes studies (such as a population-based depression study in Brazil [10]); conceptual articles showing the influence that regionwide initiatives can have on decision making in the field of vaccines [11]; and commentaries discussing social values and decision making (such as those in the Mexican environment [12,13]). We present studies that span a wide spectrum of health technologies, from screening and primary prevention to palliative and intensive care; from drugs to diagnostic tests and devices. We hope that readers interested in improving health in our region—from researchers and decision makers to technology producers and users—find this issue as informative and enriching as we do. I hope that the region, together with this journal, continues to improve with time. And last but not the least, a special thanks to the authors, journal coeditors, and ISPOR staff who make this journal possible.
Federico Augustovski, PhD, MD, MSc Economic Evaluations and HTA Department, (IECS) Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Buenos Aires, Argentina School of Public Health, University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina J. Jaime Caro, MD Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Victor Za´rate Barahona, MD, MSc Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile Marcos Bosi Ferraz, PhD, MD, MSc Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal ~ Paulo, Sao ~ Paulo, Brazil University of Sao ~ Paulo Center of Health Economics, Sao ~ Paulo, Brazil Sao 2212-1099/$36.00 – see front matter Copyright & 2014, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vhri.2013.01.008
Source of financial support: The authors have no other financial relationships to disclose.
VA L U E I N H E A LT H R E G I O N A L I S S U E S 5 C ( 2 0 1 4 ) 7 8 – 7 9
R EF E R EN C ES
[1] OECD, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin American Economic Outlook 2012: Transforming the State for Development. Economic Commission for Latin America/Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development and The Caribbean. OECD Publishing, 2012. ISBN: 978-9264-12170-6. [2] Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/ WHO), Health Information and Analysis Project (HSD/HA). Health Situation in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2012. Washington, DC: PAHO, 2012. [3] Augustovski F, Ferraz MB. Pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research in Latin America: a promising and developing field. Value Health 2011;14(5, Suppl. 1):S1–2. [4] Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. Health technology assessment and incorporation into health systems. Presented at: 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference, 64th Session of the Regional Committee. Washington, DC, September 17–21, 2012. Conferencia Sanitaria Panamericana, 28/11. (Eng.) 16 July 2012. [5] ISPOR Latin America Consortium. News across Latin America. Volume 1. Issue 1. Available from: https://www.ispor.org/consortiums/ LatinAmerica/NewsletterVol1Issue1.pdf. [Accessed December 21, 2012].
79
[6] Health Technology Assessment international. 2012 HTAi Latin America Regional Meeting. December 2012. Available from: http://www.htai.org/ index.php?id=761. [Accessed December 21, 2012]. [7] International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and outcomes Research. 4th Latin America Conference, 12–14 September 2013, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Available from: http://www.ispor.org/meetings/ meetcalendar.aspx. [Accessed December 21, 2012]. [8] Castan˜eda-Orjuela C, Dı´az H, Alvis-Guzman N, et al. Burden of disease and economic impact of dengue and severe dengue in Colombia, 2011. Value Health Regional 2012;1:123–8. [9] Augustovski F, Augusto Diaz Rojas J, Ferraz MB, et al. Status update of the reimbursement review environment in the public sector across four Latin American countries. Value Health Regional 2012;1:223–7. [10] Fujii RK, Goren A, Annunziata K, Mould-Quevedo J. Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and burden of major depressive disorder: estimates from the National Health and Wellness Survey in Brazil. Value Health Regional 2012;1:235–43. [11] Janusz CB, Jauregui B, Sinha A, et al. Performing country-led economic evaluations to inform immunization policy: ProVac experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean. Value Health Regional 2012;1:248–53. [12] Juarez-Garcia A, Anaya P. Diferenciacio´n en la evaluacio´n econo´mica tradicional para medicamentos que se utilizan en fases terminales, recomendaciones recientes del reino unido y su consideracio´n para Me´xico y otros paı´ses. Value Health Regional 2012;1:262–3. [13] Rizo Rı´os P, Gonza´lez Rivera A, Rivas Oropeza I, et al. Criterios farmacoecono´micos usados en me´xico para la evaluacio´n de tratamientos en personas en fases terminales. Value Health Regional 2012;1:264–6.
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/vhri
Note from the Editor: This editorial refers to a previous issue of Value in Health Regional Issues, Volume 1, Number 1 EDITORIAL
Introducing the New Value in Health Regional Issues Journal: The Latin America Region Edition These are exciting times for the Latin American region. Our region has developed steadily in the recent years and has a promising outlook in the current international climate. It appears that there is momentum for countries in the region to design long-term development strategies. There has been a gradual consolidation and strengthening of our democracies, and most of the region has adequately resisted the economic and financial crisis with responsible macroeconomic measures and structural reform [1]. Annual gross domestic product growth averaged 4.3% during 2010 to 2011 [2]. Health indicators, as well as health care coverage and provision, have also been improving, with some of our countries approaching universal health coverage. For example, life expectancy at birth has now risen to 74.8 years, and the infant mortality rate has declined to 15.5 per 1000 live births [2]. In the field of outcomes research, health economics, and health technology assessment (HTA), there have also been significant advances in our region since we published the Value in Health 1st Special Issue: Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research in Latin America about a year and a half ago [3]. Some regionwide examples are a recent resolution signed in September 2012 at the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference (‘‘Health technology assessment and incorporation into health systems,’’ CSP28/11) promoting the institutionalization of HTA for supporting informed decision making in our countries, or the still young REDETSA (HTA Network of the Americas) founded in 2011, which brings together the main government and academic institutions working in this field in the Americas [4]. This very young journal, Value in Health Regional Issues, and the current issue devoted to the Latin American region, comes in these exciting times, which are also reflected in a recently launched newsletter of the ISPOR Latin America Consortium [5] as well as the recent HTAi regional meeting held in Colombia in the context of the launch of the new Colombian Health Technology Institute [6]. In 2013, after having published the new Value in Health Regional Issues for Latin America, the ISPOR 4th Latin America Conference will be held in Buenos Aires [7]. The current issue (December 2012) features regionwide articles as well as studies from six Latin American countries that provide new evidence or ideas extending the current knowledge base regarding the value of health care interventions particular to the region. This first issue reflects the dynamic growth in the field with articles on economic evaluation (such as a burden of disease study on dengue in Colombia [8]); health policy studies that
provide updates on the policy situation in several Latin American countries [9]; patient-reported outcomes studies (such as a population-based depression study in Brazil [10]); conceptual articles showing the influence that regionwide initiatives can have on decision making in the field of vaccines [11]; and commentaries discussing social values and decision making (such as those in the Mexican environment [12,13]). We present studies that span a wide spectrum of health technologies, from screening and primary prevention to palliative and intensive care; from drugs to diagnostic tests and devices. We hope that readers interested in improving health in our region—from researchers and decision makers to technology producers and users—find this issue as informative and enriching as we do. I hope that the region, together with this journal, continues to improve with time. And last but not the least, a special thanks to the authors, journal coeditors, and ISPOR staff who make this journal possible.
Federico Augustovski, PhD, MD, MSc Economic Evaluations and HTA Department, (IECS) Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Buenos Aires, Argentina School of Public Health, University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina J. Jaime Caro, MD Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Victor Za´rate Barahona, MD, MSc Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile Marcos Bosi Ferraz, PhD, MD, MSc Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal ~ Paulo, Sao ~ Paulo, Brazil University of Sao ~ Paulo Center of Health Economics, Sao ~ Paulo, Brazil Sao 2212-1099/$36.00 – see front matter Copyright & 2014, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vhri.2013.01.008
Source of financial support: The authors have no other financial relationships to disclose.
VA L U E I N H E A LT H R E G I O N A L I S S U E S 5 C ( 2 0 1 4 ) 7 8 – 7 9
R EF E R EN C ES
[1] OECD, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin American Economic Outlook 2012: Transforming the State for Development. Economic Commission for Latin America/Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development and The Caribbean. OECD Publishing, 2012. ISBN: 978-9264-12170-6. [2] Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/ WHO), Health Information and Analysis Project (HSD/HA). Health Situation in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2012. Washington, DC: PAHO, 2012. [3] Augustovski F, Ferraz MB. Pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research in Latin America: a promising and developing field. Value Health 2011;14(5, Suppl. 1):S1–2. [4] Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. Health technology assessment and incorporation into health systems. Presented at: 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference, 64th Session of the Regional Committee. Washington, DC, September 17–21, 2012. Conferencia Sanitaria Panamericana, 28/11. (Eng.) 16 July 2012. [5] ISPOR Latin America Consortium. News across Latin America. Volume 1. Issue 1. Available from: https://www.ispor.org/consortiums/ LatinAmerica/NewsletterVol1Issue1.pdf. [Accessed December 21, 2012].
79
[6] Health Technology Assessment international. 2012 HTAi Latin America Regional Meeting. December 2012. Available from: http://www.htai.org/ index.php?id=761. [Accessed December 21, 2012]. [7] International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and outcomes Research. 4th Latin America Conference, 12–14 September 2013, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Available from: http://www.ispor.org/meetings/ meetcalendar.aspx. [Accessed December 21, 2012]. [8] Castan˜eda-Orjuela C, Dı´az H, Alvis-Guzman N, et al. Burden of disease and economic impact of dengue and severe dengue in Colombia, 2011. Value Health Regional 2012;1:123–8. [9] Augustovski F, Augusto Diaz Rojas J, Ferraz MB, et al. Status update of the reimbursement review environment in the public sector across four Latin American countries. Value Health Regional 2012;1:223–7. [10] Fujii RK, Goren A, Annunziata K, Mould-Quevedo J. Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and burden of major depressive disorder: estimates from the National Health and Wellness Survey in Brazil. Value Health Regional 2012;1:235–43. [11] Janusz CB, Jauregui B, Sinha A, et al. Performing country-led economic evaluations to inform immunization policy: ProVac experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean. Value Health Regional 2012;1:248–53. [12] Juarez-Garcia A, Anaya P. Diferenciacio´n en la evaluacio´n econo´mica tradicional para medicamentos que se utilizan en fases terminales, recomendaciones recientes del reino unido y su consideracio´n para Me´xico y otros paı´ses. Value Health Regional 2012;1:262–3. [13] Rizo Rı´os P, Gonza´lez Rivera A, Rivas Oropeza I, et al. Criterios farmacoecono´micos usados en me´xico para la evaluacio´n de tratamientos en personas en fases terminales. Value Health Regional 2012;1:264–6.