ATS Comments on ICER Severe Asthma Draft Report

The ATS submitted comments to the Institute for Clinical and Economic Research (ICER) on their recent draft report: Biologic Therapies for Treatment of Asthma Associated with Type 2 Inflammation: Effectiveness, Value, and Value-Based Price Benchmarks. The report provides an initial evaluation of the cost effectiveness of treating severe asthma with Tezepelumab.

The ATS comments noted some deficiencies in the draft report, particularly some of the assumptions ICER used to develop their cost/benefit assumptions. The ATS comments also noted that patients with severe asthma are at greater risk for exacerbations than patients with mild or moderate asthma.

ICER reports often are used by private insurance companies to make coverage decisions on new drugs and new technology. Unfavorable ICER reports often lead private insurance companies to deny coverage for new technology/new drugs.