HE Dr. Saad Al Mehrij, Chief Medical Officer – NGHA launched the opening ceremony of the 1st Saudi International Conference on Pharmaceutical Policy, Economics and Outcomes Conference,on the 20th of October 2014 on behalf of H.E. Chief Executive Officer of Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs, President of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Dr. Bandar Al Knawy. The conference was organized by the Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs represented by Drug Policy and Economics Center and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences.
Dr. Saad pointed out that the Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs is honored to have established the first Drug Policy and Economics Center in the Kingdom in 2003, due to the great investment it has in the importance of research and study in this field, which aims to improve the quality of health outcomes, manage pharmaceutical costs and achieve cost-effectiveness and efficiency.
In addition, the goal behind hosting this conference is to benefit from the pharmaceutical policy and economics experience in order to improve the quality of health outcomes and manage the escalating healthcare costs on a national level and to establish national rules for pharmaceutical economic.
Dr. Saad concluded by stating that as a result of all these efforts, many improvement aspects have been achieved which contributed in raising the level of health care in all health care facilities, not only in NGHA but also in the Kingdom.
On another note, Dr. Abdulmajeed Al Abdulkareem, the Vice President of Postgraduate Education, KSAU-HS said: ”this is the first scientific conference that presents this vital topic in the health sector due to the steadily-increasing multiplicity of Pharmaceutical innovations and the related high economic costs which makes it imperative for decision-makers and specialists to be more in-depth when conducting comparative evidence-based scientific studies, in order to achieve the best therapeutic and economic choices.
Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Saq'abi, Chairman of the Scientific Committee said: “the objective of organizing this international conference is to benefit from the international experience in pharmaceutical policy and economic in order to improve the quality of health outcomes and manage the escalating healthcare costs”.
The speakers participating in the conference are a group of prominent international experts including:
Prof. Michael Drummond, former President of ISPOR, the Director of Center for Health Economics, University of York, UK and author of two source books and more than 600 scientific papers
Prof. Sean Sullivan, Dean - College of Pharmacy and Director of the Pharmaceutical Policy and Outcomes Program in the University of Washington, USA
Prof. Lyle Bootman, Dean - College of Pharmacy and the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Health Outcomes & Pharmaco Economic Research, Arizona University, US
Peter Penna, former President of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, USA
Dr. Douglas S. Burgoyne, President of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, USA.
The conference conducted various lectures in addition to 8 specialized workshops covering topics including:
National Pharmacoeconomics/Submission Guidelines Development
Conducting Optimal Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
Pharmacist Role in Establishing Disease Management Programs
Pharmacist Role in Medication Therapy Management (MTM)
Performance (Outcomes) Based Risk Sharing Arrangements (PBRSAs)
Types of Outcomes Research Required to Support Phamacoeconomics/ HTA in Saudi Arabia
Drug Utilization Review by Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) to Improve Quality of Care and Manage Escalating Health Care Expenditures
Role of IT in Pharmacy Benefit Management
At the end of the ceremony, Dr. Al Mehrij handed over a number of certificates and plaques.