Hepatitis C Virus | Access and Reimbursement | Mexico/Argentina | 2017

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects thousands of individuals in Mexico and Argentina. The launch of innovative therapies in recent years has brought new, highly effective options to the market, but reimbursement constraints tied to payers’ ability to fund these treatments sharply affect access to some of these medicines. Moreover, the type of payer—private versus public—requires companies operating in these markets to understand how the differences in economic capacity will affect their agent’s uptake. This A&R analysis provides key insights into navigating the HCV therapy market in Mexico and Argentina while adapting brand agents’ value message to payers’ and physicians’ needs and expectations in each country.

Scope:

Clarivate’s Access and Reimbursement module for HCV in Argentina and Mexico explores the prescribing patterns for current therapies, the potential impact of the anticipated arrival of new agents, and key national and regional market access factors that will shape the use of HCV therapies over the next two to three years. This content draws on insights from 101 surveyed physicians and from interviews with six payers in Argentina and Mexico, all of whom have influence at the regional, institutional, or national level.

Markets covered: Argentina and Mexico

Primary research:

• 100 hepatologists/gastroenterologists/infectious disease physicians
• 6 payers:
  • Argentina:
    • Head of the liver transplantation department at a major hospital in Buenos Aires; member of the Argentine Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.​​​​​​
    • Hepatologist KOL at the Alexander Fleming Specialist Institute dedicated to SUR patients, a member of the Argentine Society of Gastroenterology, and a member of the American and European Associations of Diseases of the Liver.
    • Specialist in hepatology; consultant for the the MoH for the National Program for Control of Viral Hepatitis; member of the National Program for the Control of Immunopreventable Diseases (ProNaCEI); member of the Secretary and Board of the Argentine Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.​​​​​​
  • Mexico:
    • Head of the Medical Supplies Planning Department of the Infrastructure Branch of the ISSSTE’s Administration Directorate.
    • Chief of the gastroenterology, hepatology, and liver transplantation department at a major public hospital; member of the Mexican Association of Hepatology and the Mexican Association of Gastroenterology.
    • Coordinator of the clinical guidelines at CENETEC.​​​​​

Questions answered in this report:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​What is the public and private healthcare coverage for targeted therapies for HCV by gentotype, and how do payers’ policies and infrastructure influence access to specialized healthcare and treatments?
• What are the current drivers and barriers for prescribing established premium-priced agents such as Olysio, Daklinza, or Harvoni, and how does it compare with therapies that have been on the market for longer periods of time?
• How does treatment vary by payer type and how can marketers of HCV therapies overcome hurdles in specific payer channels?
• What clinical benefits are physicians and payers looking for in emerging therapies such as Epclusa and Zepatier, and what kind of savings in direct and indirect costs are payers seeking?