Drugmakers’ health economics and outcomes research teams must provide earlier input on clinical trials so the data generated have a better chance of ensuring reimbursement for treatments after approval, according to a new study.

As more payers in the U.S. and EU look to comparative-effectiveness research to find new products worthy of reimbursement, drug companies with successful health economics teams are using them earlier on — such as during Phase III — to increase their reimbursement odds and justify their pricing schemes, according to the study from consulting firm Cutting Edge Information.

Among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies surveyed, 15 percent of the health economics teams’ time was devoted to helping clinical trials. For companies outside the top 50, only 2 percent were devoted to trials.

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