Increasing Societal Benefit From Cardiovascular Drugs

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Health Economics
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Several innovative treatments for noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs) are now available, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), glucagon-like-peptide 1 agonists (GLP-1a), angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI), and finerenone.
• These novel medications demonstrate improved clinically relevant outcomes when integrated into existing therapeutic regimens, with expanding indications for their use.
• The complexity and cost of current drug regimens present a significant challenge in ensuring society reaps the maximum benefit from these advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the challenge of maximizing societal benefit from innovative NCD treatments.
• To propose a framework based on five core principles for the optimal implementation of new therapies.
• To guide stakeholders in high-income countries and provide broadly applicable principles for low- and middle-income countries.

Main Methods:

• Discussion-based primer outlining key principles for societal benefit.
• Focus on sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) as a case study.
• Adaptable framework applicable to other health products like ARNI, finerenone, and future innovations.

Main Results:

• Identified five key principles: maximizing benefit, minimizing harm, optimizing uptake, increasing value for money, and ensuring equitable access.
• Emphasized the broad applicability of these principles beyond SGLT2i to other novel NCD therapies.
• Highlighted the relevance for stakeholders in diverse economic settings, including high-income and low- to middle-income countries.

Conclusions:

• A strategic, principle-based approach is essential for realizing the full societal value of innovative NCD treatments.
• Optimizing the uptake and accessibility of new drugs like SGLT2i, GLP-1a, ARNI, and finerenone requires careful consideration of economic and equity factors.
• The proposed five principles offer a robust framework for navigating the complexities of integrating advanced therapies into healthcare systems globally.