Market Access

Market access is the process of ensuring that treatments (such as medicines and medical devices) with marketing authorization from regulatory authorities are available and funded for all patients who may benefit from them. It involves making these treatments accessible so that clinicians can recommend and administer them to patients in practice. The initial step in market access is securing reimbursement, often guided by health technology assessment (HTA). However, successful reimbursement does not guarantee that all eligible patients will receive the treatment or have practical access to it.

Market access tackles this issue by identifying and addressing barriers to the uptake of new treatments and implementing strategies to overcome these obstacles. These strategies may include:

– Evidence Collection and Communication: Gathering and disseminating relevant evidence to different decision-makers.

– Pricing Strategies: Implementing discounts or payment-by-results models.

– Support Tools and Services: Providing tools (such as apps) or staff to offer expert advice to healthcare system administrators.

In pharmaceutical and other life science companies, Market Access professionals often collaborate closely with Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) teams to develop and execute plans that generate and communicate the value of new interventions to healthcare payers and reimbursers. This collaborative effort ensures that new treatments not only receive reimbursement but are also effectively integrated into healthcare systems, making them accessible to the patients who need them.

Click HEOR TERMINOLOGY 
For more Information Click HEOR’s Role in Market Access