Issue
Our client sought to understand the current state of healthcare across borders (also known as medical tourism) and the opportunities and risks this presents for their rare disease gene therapy assets, particularly given expected price differentials, with an emphasis on travel within Europe, travel from the US to other markets.
Approach
CRA’s Rare Disease team evaluated the dynamics of cross-border healthcare using secondary research to explore current precedence and/or previous product examples, and the situational reasons for cross-border healthcare being sought and used. We investigated rules and regulations in different geographies that could be relevant, what the access and funding process would look like, and what was in place to facilitate or pose a barrier to cross-border healthcare. On the access and funding topic, we assessed the potential drivers and barriers from different perspectives including public/private insurance and patient out-of-pocket (OOP) pathways. We validated our hypotheses and gained a deeper understanding of the potential impact through primary research with multiple stakeholders including payers, policymakers, physicians, patient group representatives, employee benefit managers, hospital administrators, and medical tourism company representatives. Based on all the gathered insights, we developed key opportunities and risks for the gene therapy assets.
Client Impact
CRA’s team of experts delivered key conclusions and implications on the potential impact of cross-border healthcare and how this would vary by geographic region and/or expected price differentials. We provided the client with evidence and knowledge to communicate within their organization on what they may need to prepare as they launch their gene therapies.
