COPD in the EU5: (How Will Prescribers and Payers Integrate Additional LABA- and LAMA-Containing Products Within Increasingly Constrained Budgets?) | Physician & Payer Forum | EU5 | 2014
Long-acting beta2 agonist (LABA)/long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) have the potential to be first-line chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) therapies, offering the synergistic effects of both bronchodilators in a convenient, single inhaler. Key competition, however, will come from the LABA/inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) FDCs, including the first once-daily combination, Relvar (GlaxoSmithKline/Theravance). Changes in prescribing habits to accommodate these newly launching therapies will depend on how restrictive payers will be in this increasingly competitive market, as pricing and reimbursement negotiations in each EU5 country become ever-more complex and the availability of generic LABA/ICS combinations and Spiriva becomes a reality. This report surveys 250 pulmonologists and interviews 15 European payers to explore international, national, and local market access factors that will impact the treatment of COPD across the EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom) in the next 2-3 years as governments in all countries strive to tighten their healthcare belt.
