Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
11:15
Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations
Published on: July 24, 2021
[Evaluation of drug efficacy]
Jacques Massol1, Claire Le Jeunne
1Faculté de Médecine de Besançon, Hôpital Jean Minjoz, Besançon.
Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983)
|February 3, 2007
Summary
The transparency committee evaluates drug value using scientific methods to determine reimbursement and pricing. This ensures new drugs offer significant therapeutic advantages and public health benefits for national health insurance coverage.
Area of Science:
- Health economics
- Pharmaceutical policy
- Medical evaluation
Background:
- The "commission de la transparence" (transparency committee) evaluates drug therapeutic value.
- Since January 2005, this committee has reported to the Haute autorité de santé (high health authority).
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the therapeutic value and expected medical service of new drugs.
- To determine a drug's position within the overall therapeutic strategy for a given disease.
- To evaluate the public health contribution of new medications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing scientific methodology to determine the "expected medical service" level.
- Comparing new drugs against existing treatments for the same indication.
- Employing a new methodology for precise assessment of drug advantages and public health contribution.
Main Results:
- Quantification of assessment criteria results in a drug score.
- This score dictates reimbursement by the national health insurance fund.
- The score also informs the drug economics committee's pricing decisions.
Conclusions:
- The transparency committee's evaluation process ensures drugs provide significant therapeutic benefits.
- A precise scoring system determines drug reimbursement and influences pricing.
- This systematic approach optimizes the use of new drugs within public health strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy
The potency of a drug is the measure of its ability to produce a biological response and can be compared by looking at the half-maximum effective concentration or EC50 values of different drugs. A lower EC50 value indicates higher potency of the drug. In the dose–response curve of two antihypertensive drugs, candesartan and irbesartan, a significant difference is observed in their EC50 values. A lower EC50 value for candesartan indicates that it is more potent than irbesartan, as it produces...
01:09Bioequivalence of Drugs: Drugs with Multiple Indications
The concept of therapeutic equivalence (TE) in drugs with multiple indications is complex. A generic drug may be therapeutically equivalent to a brand-name product for one specific indication, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's equivalent for all other indications. Evidence of TE in one patient group and bioequivalence shown in healthy volunteers can support—but not confirm—TE for other indications. However, definitive proof requires individual clinical studies for each indication due to...
01:25Drug Regulation
Drug regulation encompasses the management of drug usage by evaluating its safety and efficacy through assessments conducted by regulatory authorities. Regrettably, the history of drug regulation is marred by several catastrophic events. One such incident is the Elixir Sulfanilamide tragedy, in which the toxic compound diethyl glycol was included in a sweet-tasting medication, leading to numerous fatalities. This event prompted the enactment of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Under...
01:20Measurement of Bioavailability: Pharmacodynamic Methods
Pharmacodynamic methods provide insights into a drug's effects on physiological processes over time and play a crucial role in understanding bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. These methods can be broadly classified into acute pharmacological and therapeutic response approaches, each with distinct mechanisms and applications.The acute pharmacological response method directly correlates a drug's physiological effects, such as ECG or pupil diameter changes, to its time course in the body.
01:03Dose-Response Relationship: Overview
Agonists can bind with and activate receptors, resulting in the formation of drug-receptor complexes. Once formed, these complexes catalyze many biochemical processes at the cellular level and subsequently induce a pharmacologic response. The degree of response is directly proportional to the fraction of activated receptors, which in turn, depends on the concentration of the drug at the receptor site as well as the sensitivity of the receptor. An increase in the administered dose contributes to...
01:14Drug Dissolution: Requirements and Profile Comparison
The acceptance criteria for dissolution profile data are anchored in Q values, representing the percentage of drug dissolved within a specified period. This assessment unfolds in three stages:First Stage: The test passes if all six drug dosage units are equal to or greater than Q plus 5%; otherwise, the sample proceeds to the second stage.Second Stage: The average of twelve units must be equal to or greater than Q, with no unit falling below Q - 15% to pass; if not, it progresses to the final...