Report

The U.S. supply chain for prescription drugs is highly complex, involving several intermediaries between drug manufacturers and patients. This analysis estimates the percentages of drug expenditures that are allocated to each stakeholder in the supply chain, including manufacturers.

KEY POINTS

The 2024 Office of the Secretary Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (OS-PCORTF) Annual Report highlights the data infrastructure accomplishments of over 40 multi-agency projects on topics of national importance such as maternal health, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment among adults in the United States have increased over the past few decades. However, there are sex, racial, and ethnic disparities in diagnosis and treatment, and underdiagnosis persists.

In light of the continuing opioid epidemic in the United States, DEA lifted a moratorium on approvals of new mobile medication units (MMUs) to increase access to OTPs. The new DEA guidance also authorized OTPs to add a “mobile component” to their existing registration, eliminating the separate registration requirement for MMUs.

The ASPE issue brief examines the research and development cost and duration associated with bringing novel vaccines to the U.S. market. The results indicate that bringing a novel vaccine to the U.S. market costs an estimated $886.8 million on average, and its development process lasts 10 years.

The U.S. behavioral health (BH) workforce faces significant shortages and distribution disparities, hindering access to quality care and worsening health outcomes. A comprehensive, centralized database of BH providers is vital for advancing patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR), comparative effectiveness research (CER), and evidence-based policymaking.

To explore whether and how the NSA has affected insurer-provider dynamics, contract negotiations, and payment rates, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) asked RAND to conduct discussions with stakeholders. In this report, RAND summarizes the approach exploring these topics, the themes that emerged from our discussions, and areas for additional inquiry.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changes the way Medicare pays for prescription drugs. These changes will impact various stakeholders, including Medicare, Medicare enrollees, drug manufacturers, and others.

This New Jersey case study provides insights into the daunting challenges states face in seeking to address the home care worker shortage, which has become more acute as New Jersey and other states have striven to “re-balance” Medicaid long-term services and supports use and spending away from institutional care toward home and community-based services.