– Public comment period now open until June 2nd; Requests to make oral comment during public meeting also being accepted-
 

Boston, Mass., May 5, 2017 – The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has released a Draft Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of abuse-deterrent opioids. These formulations contain abuse-deterrent properties, including chemical or physical barriers, aversive agents, or agonist/antagonist combinations, that make it more difficult for those taking the drugs to misuse them. ICER’s report assesses evidence on nine abuse-deterrent formulations of opioid medications to evaluate how effectively these drugs reduce opioid misuse or abuse and the many consequences. Economic analyses provide information on the long-term value of abuse-deterrent opioids based on the benefit they provide. ICER’s report and accompanying draft voting questions are now open to public comment for four weeks.

ICER is committed to engaging with all stakeholders in a thorough and transparent manner. Before completing this Draft Evidence Report, ICER reached out to key stakeholders, including patient groups, clinical experts, and the manufacturers of the drugs to engage them in the process. ICER also accepted public comments on a Draft Scoping Document prior to conducting the review. The current draft report incorporates input received from patients, clinicians, manufacturers, and other stakeholders during each of these opportunities for engagement.

The Draft Evidence Report, as well as the accompanying voting questions, will be open for public comment until June 2, 2017 at 5 PM ET. All stakeholders are invited to submit formal comments by email to publiccomments@icer-review.org. Guidelines for submitting public comments, including formatting specifications, are available on the ICER website. ICER’s Manufacturer Engagement Guide and Patient Participation Guide provide further guidance for these groups. ICER will review all comments received and incorporate any necessary changes in the Evidence Report and revised voting questions that will be posted on or about June 28, 2017. All comments received will be posted publicly along with the Evidence Report.

The Evidence Report will be the subject of a public meeting of the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (New England CEPAC) on July 20, 2017 in Concord, NH. During the meeting, the independent Council will publicly deliberate the evidence and vote on key questions raised in the report, and an expert policy roundtable will discuss recommendations to apply the evidence to policy and practice.

Register to Make an Oral Comment

During the public meeting, there will be a limited amount of time available for interested stakeholders to make an oral comment on the report. Beginning today, requests to submit oral comment are being accepted. All requests must be emailed to publiccomments@icer-review.org by 5 PM ET on June 2, 2017. For more information about registering for oral comment, please visit our website.

Visit ICER’s website for more information on our methods for public engagement.