Walking Down Evidence Street™: Where the Market Meets Evidence

Mana Chandhok:
Hi everyone. Welcome to this podcast from Cambridge Healthtech Institute for the Next Generation Diagnostic Summit, which runs August 15th to the 18th in Washington D.C. I'm Mana Chandhok, an associate producer. We have with us today one of our keynote speakers from the coverage and reimbursement of Advanced Diagnostics Tract, Dr. Susanne Belinson, executive director of clinical markets at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Dr. Belison, thank you for joining us.

Susanne Belinson:
My pleasure. Thank you.

Mana Chandhok:
Would you mind telling us a little bit about the Evidence Street program that you are leading?

Susanne Belinson:
So Evidence Street is a web-based platform that was launched out of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's office of clinical affairs. It focuses on providing a place where the market can meet the evidence, a place where stakeholders in the evidence review process can come and access a standard set of evidence reviews and access a transparent process by which those evidence reviews get updated. The primary vision around that process is that if we can get all of the evidence out into the market, that benefits all stakeholders through transparency and engagement in an efficient process.

Mana Chandhok:
We are also planning a panel discussion on evidence with payers like yourself and Alberto Gutierrez from the FDA. Do you think it is possible to come up with more standardized requirements for the evidence that companies need to generate for payers and regulators?

Susanne Belinson:
I do think that it is possible to get to a place of greater standardization, and I think that that is part of the vision of Evidence Street and the work that we are undertaking at this time. I do think that at times the requirements of a regulator such as the FDA and the evidentiary requirements for payers may be slightly different or they may require some elements that are the same and some elements that may be different. I do think that it is essential as we move forward to provide very clear and actionable information to manufacturers and those researchers who may work with them that the FDA collaborates with other HTA organizations and payers collaborate together to begin to generate a common set of standards that can be communicated out into the marketplace.

Mana Chandhok:
We are looking forward to the summit and hope it to be productive for each and every participant. What do you expect to gain from the meeting as a speaker and an attendee?

Susanne Belinson:
I think what I always look to gain in these types of interactions is just engagement and the opportunity to hear others' perspectives. I think that we often work in very siloed environments and I've had the great opportunity and pleasure over the last couple of years to engage with a lot of stakeholders across the market and I find that all of these opportunities really provide me an opportunity to grow in my understanding of other peoples' businesses and the way in which my business fits into the overall marketplace. I really just look forward to the open engagement and dialogue and hopefully learning a few new things.

Mana Chandhok:
Dr. Belinson, thank you for your time and insights today.

Susanne Belinson:
Thank you very much.

Mana Chandhok:
That was Dr. Susanne Belinson of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. She'll be speaking at the Coverage and Reimbursement of Advanced Diagnostics Track at the upcoming Next Generation Diagnostics Summit, taking place August 15th to the 18th in Washington D.C. Thank you for listening.