Health Care Bulletin

The practice of health care consulting continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The use of real-world evidence (RWE) to complement clinical trial results is expanding, requiring new applications of data science methods and new approaches to determining value. Similarly, breakthroughs in precision medicine call for different ways of predicting long-term value and tailoring payment strategies for innovative therapies.　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Abuse and misuse of opioids has reached “epidemic” proportions, according to numerous news reports, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control, and the White House. Misuse of prescription opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and methadone, has become a major focus of regulators, manufacturers, prescribers, and researchers.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

In this issue, we highlight examples of our work and analysis in a number of notable fields in the middle of rapid change. 万家博万家博官方网站 万家博官方网站 experts from the Health Care practice offer insights into developing trends in health care economics and outcomes research and litigation, including biosimilars introduction, the use of machine learning in health care litigation, regulatory approval processes and guidelines, and the economic costs of schizophrenia and obesity.

From the rising impact of diseases such as depression and obesity to the rapid expansion of medical data, many of the challenges facing global health care systems represent new aspects of foundational issues. In this Bulletin, leaders of 万家博万家博官方网站 万家博官方网站’s Health Care practice draw on their experience and research to offer insights to improve decision making and outcomes. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The use of big data is now widespread in the US health care system. At major industry conferences and in leading publications, big data has become a watchword for clinical care providers, private insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and numerous other stakeholders. In this Bulletin, leaders of 万家博万家博官方网站 万家博官方网站’s Health Care practice discuss aspects of their ongoing work with big data and accompanying analytics, highlighting opportunities to improve decision making and health outcomes research initiatives.

As global pharmaceutical companies continue to expand into emerging markets, they must address a range of issues – varied demographics, the sourcing and quality of data, shifting payer requirements, and increased scrutiny of business practices. In the Fall 2013 issue of the Health Care Consulting Services Bulletin, we focus on opportunities, risks, and challenges that companies in international health care are confronting.