BioCentury This Week Explores Orphan Drugs With HP&M Attorney & NORD Board Chair

On January 23rd, BioCentury This Week TV will broadcast a program concerning the latest thinking about how to create a sustainable economic model for both orphan drug developers and payers.  The program, titled “The Economics of Orphan Drugs – Why Successful Cures Bring Challenges for Patients and Payment,” will be posted on the internet here, and featues Peter Saltonstall, President & CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Frank Sasinowski, Chairman of the Board at NORD (and Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C. Director), and Lauren Barnes of Avalere Health, former director of U.S. payment and coverage at Amgen.  Eight of the 22 new chemical entities FDA approved in 2010 were for rare (orphan) diseases; however, the successes in the orphan drug arena are bringing new challenges, including assuring patient access as Orphan Drug prices are prompting insurance companies to consider impose prior authorization requirements, higher co-pays, and scrutinize off-label use.  BioCentury This Week will explore these important issues.