AMCP Partnership Forum Identifies Strategies for Better Cholesterol Management in Light of New PCSK9 Inhibitors

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 40 prominent health care stakeholders attending a national forum this week in Washington, D.C., suggested modifications to current treatment guidelines for dyslipidemia (e.g. high cholesterol) in light of the new PCSK9 inhibitors coming to market, including recommendations to develop strategies and guidelines that identify appropriate patients for treatment.

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's (AMCP's) Sept. 16 Partnership Forum: Driving New Advances in Dyslipidemia Management gathered executives from health plans, pharmacy benefit management companies, community and specialty pharmacies and medical societies. The event was sponsored by Lilly USA, LLC, MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., PerformRx, Pfizer Inc. and Sanofi.

Participants started laying the groundwork for new management and practice strategies to improve the care of millions of people with dyslipidemia.

Key insights from the meeting included calls to maximize proven therapies (e.g. statins) in current guidelines before adding new pharmacotherapy agents to treatment regimens; suggestions to focus more on treating the whole patient as part of therapy; and an acknowledgement that long-term outcomes data will be needed to better understand the place of PCSK9 inhibitors in therapy.

Forum participants also expressed interest in AMCP leading a collaboration and consensus with stakeholders to find solutions to improve patient outcomes.

"Dyslipidemia is one of the most pervasive chronic diseases in America," said AMCP CEO Edith A. Rosato, RPh, IOM. "These strategies need serious consideration. It's imperative that the right patients can access the right medications to improve health outcomes, and that treatments are affordable for patients and payers alike."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 73.5 million adults — or more than 31 percent of adults in the U.S. — have high levels of LDL, or 'bad,' cholesterol. But fewer than one out of every three adults with high LDL cholesterol has the condition under control. Current guidelines to treat the disease were created before the arrival of PCSK9 inhibitors, which are now coming to market. A February 2015 Health Affairs article estimates the new PCSK9 inhibitors could add $200 billion to annual health care spending.

The AMCP Partnership Forum will result in a series of new strategies, tools, programs and actions aimed at improving dyslipidemia care in light of these new therapies. The recommendations will be published on the AMCP website in the coming weeks.

About AMCP 
The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) is a national professional association of pharmacists and other health care practitioners who serve society by the application of sound medication management principles and strategies to improve health care for all. The Academy's 7,000 members develop and provide a diversified range of clinical, educational and business management services and strategies on behalf of the more than 200 million Americans covered by a managed care pharmacy benefit. www.amcp.org.

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CONTACT: Neal Learner, [email protected], 703-684-2611

SOURCE Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy

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