Welcome to the 2023/24 ACPE accredited Wyoming Certificate Program A New Start in Health Technology Assessment. This is a 14-module online program sponsored by the University of Wyoming designed for those who are looking to a new framework for the evaluation of pharmaceutical products and devices, to support robust value claims, ongoing disease areas, therapeutic class reviews, and if required, outcomes-based contracting.

It is now widely recognized that the existing approach to establishing cost-effectiveness claims for pharmaceutical products and devices is an analytical dead end. The focus of this approach is on creating assumption-driven simulations for contrived cost-effectiveness claims which fail to meet the standards of normal science, including fundamental measurement. The result is that health technology assessment, as practiced for the last 30 years, is unique in its commitment to non-empirically evaluable claims for cost-effectiveness. This analytical framework denies progress and the discovery of new facts in therapy impact; resting instead on the hope that formulary committees will factor in imaginary claims for cost-effectiveness into their decision-making.

This proposed new start puts aside imaginary assumption-driven simulations and impossible claims for cost-effectiveness, including the mathematically impossible QALY, in favor of a commitment to single attribute value claims, supported by protocols, that are empirically evaluable to support formulary decision making. An approach consistent with both the standards for normal science recognized in other disciplines and the limitations imposed on patient-reported outcomes by the axioms of fundamental measurement; a program that meets the neglected evidence requirements in health system decision-making.

The program is in three parts: (i) a review of standards essential for evidentiary claims for product and therapy assessment; (ii) a detailed assessment of the failure of approximate modeled information for therapy decisions; and (iii) the required standards for protocol-supported value claims.

The course introduces two key premises in health technology assessment:

• All value claims must refer to single attributes that meet the demarcation standards for normal science: claims must be credible, evaluable, and replicable
• All value claims must be consistent with the limitations imposed by the axioms of fundamental measurement: they must meet ratio or interval properties

The program is designed to meet the needs of health system decision-makers; a framework of analysis that is not only consistent with the standards of normal science and fundamental measurement but one that focuses on capturing the needs-fulfillment quality of life of patients and caregivers. This provides a firm empirical basis for evaluating long-term clinical outcomes.

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Paul C. Langley, Adjunct Faculty Instructor, School of Pharmacy, University of Wyoming, Laramie WY and Adjunct Professor, College of Pharmacy. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN

PROGRAM INTRODUCTION

An introduction to and an overview of the program structure and content can be reviewed online. Each module is presented as a slide and audio presentation with supporting notes; slides and notes can be downloaded. At the end of each module, there is a short true/false test that is required to be completed for the award of ACPE credits (20.5 hours) and/or a certificate of completion from the University of Wyoming.

In a modified form, this program is available as an online post-graduate 3-hour credit course from the School of Pharmacy, University of Wyoming.

Links:

• Notes: Introduction Notes in pdf format
• Slides/Audio in MP4 video format: Introduction slides

The program modules on the following page are password protected.

To access program modules please click here.