Drug Discount Distortions: How Middlemen Increase Costs and Reduce Access

Joe Selvaggi talks with Drs. Bill Smith and Robert Popovian about how the complex system of rebates from drug companies to insurance firms serve to increase costs and reduce access for patients.

Guests:

Dr. William S. Smith is Senior Fellow & Director of Pioneer Life Sciences Initiative. Dr. Smith has 25 years of experience in government and in corporate roles.

His career includes senior staff positions for the Republican House leadership on Capitol Hill, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Massachusetts Governor’s office where he served under Governors Weld and Cellucci. He spent ten years at Pfizer Inc as Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy where he was responsible for Pfizer’s corporate strategies for the U.S. policy environment. He later served as a consultant to major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. Dr. Smith earned his PhD in political science with distinction at The Catholic University of America.

Dr. Robert Popovian is Senior Visiting Health Policy Fellow at Pioneer Institute. Dr. Popovian is the Founder of the strategic consulting firm Conquest Advisors. He previously served as Vice President, U.S. Government Relations at Pfizer. One of the country’s foremost experts on every significant facet of biopharmaceuticals and the healthcare industry, he is also a recognized authority on health economics, policy, government relations, medical affairs, and strategic planning.

Dr. Popovian has published extensively on the impact of biopharmaceuticals and health policies on costs and clinical outcomes in the most prominent medical sources and media publications, including the Clinical Economics and Outcomes Research, The Oncologist, Journal of Vaccines and Vaccinations, Health Science Journal, USA Today, Managed Healthcare Executive and Morning Consult. He is also a sought-after speaker and has been invited to provide detailed presentations, briefings, and expert reviews for the U.S. Congress, dozens of state legislatures, and at conferences and medical symposiums throughout the country and around the world.

He is one of the select few researchers to study and publish both clinical and policy-related economic analysis as well as empirical data regarding emerging payment models in the U.S. healthcare system and for biopharmaceutical reimbursement. His insight and analysis also led to one of the first inclusions of health outcomes data regarding a biopharmaceutical labeled indication.

Dr. Popovian was recently appointed as the Chief Science Policy Officer for Global Healthy Living Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Councilors of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, Senior Health Policy Fellow at Progressive Policy Institute, and Board of Advisors for Equideum Health. Robert completed his Doctorate in Pharmacy and Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy degrees at the University of Southern California with honors. He has also completed a residency in Pharmacy Practice/Adult Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Los Angeles County-USC Hospital and a fellowship in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy at USC.