06 Oct Payments to Ophthalmologists for Anti-VEGF Agents
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Aleksandra Rachitskaya
Aleksandra Rachitskaya, MD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Retina Service, Department of Ophthalmology
Cole Eye Institute
Cleveland, OH 44195
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments database lists payment records from drug and device manufacturers to physicians. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents such as ranibizumab (Lucentis®, Genentech, Inc., San Francisco, CA), aflibercept (Eylea™, Regeneron, Tarrytown, NY) and off-label bevacizumab (Avastin®, Genentech, Inc., San Francisco, CA) are used for a variety of indications in ophthalmology.
The current study examined the payments made to ophthalmologists related to ranibizumab and aflibercept and correlated those payments to provider usage of these medications. The former was achieved by utilizing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Provider Utilization and Payment database.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: The study showed that the distribution of all anti-VEGF payments is unequal. Ophthalmologists who received aflibercept or ranibizumab payments were more likely to receive the majority of payments from one source or the other, but not both. Those who received anti-VEGF payments were more likely to use ranibizumab or aflibercept as compared to off-label bevacizumab than those who did not receive any payment.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: As a greater amount of longitudinal data becomes available, we may be able to have a better sense of causality between payments to providers and medication usage.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Response: The limitation of the study is the retrospective use of the databases with pre-defined data collection criteria.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Open Payments Database: Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents Payments to Ophthalmologists
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on October 7, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD