Value in Health Themed Section Provides Roadmap for
Future Research and Policy

Lawrenceville, NJ, USA—April 8, 2025—Value in Health, the official journal of ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, announced today the publication of a special themed section of research papers that provide crucial insights into the complex health economics of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), offering a roadmap for future research and policy as the aging population grows and novel treatments emerge. Guest editors for the themed section are Thomas Rapp, PhD, Université Paris Cité, Chaire AgingUP!, and LIRAES, Paris, France, and Pei-Jung Lin, PhD, Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. The series was published in the April 2025 issue of Value in Health.

"As the aging population grows and novel diagnostic and treatment options emerge, understanding the complex economic implications of ADRD becomes increasingly critical," noted Rapp and Lin in their opening editorial. “Conventional methods are often limited in capturing the full spectrum of costs and health impacts of ADRD, necessitating the adoption of new frameworks, broader considerations of economic outcomes, and an unwavering focus on health equity. The collection of articles in this themed section provides insights into these critical areas, providing a roadmap for future research and policy.”  

The themed section presents 8 research papers in 3 groupings:

Group 1: Refining frameworks for evaluating ADRD interventions

1. “IPECAD Modeling Workshop 2023 Cross-Comparison Challenge on Cost-Effectiveness Models in Alzheimer's Disease,” by R Handels, WL Herring, F Kamgar, and colleagues
2. "New IPECAD Open-Source Model Framework for the Health Technology Assessment of Early Alzheimer's Disease Treatment: Development and Use Cases,” by R Handels, WL Herring, S Grimm, and colleagues

    

   Group 2: Broadening the lens: measuring the broader economic impact of ADRD

3. “Indirect Costs of Alzheimer’s Disease: Unpaid Caregiver Burden and Patient Productivity Loss,” by J Fox, ES Mearns, J Li, and colleagues
4. "Cost-Effectiveness of a Digitally Supported Care Management Program for Caregivers of People With Dementia," by M Pfaff, W Hoffmann, M Boekholt, and colleagues
5. "The Excess Direct Social Costs of Dementia-Related Neuropsychiatric Symptoms: A Regionwide Cohort Study Beyond Silos," by L Zumeta-Olaskoaga, O Ibarrondo, R del Pozo, A Zapiain, I Larrañaga, and J Mar
6. “A New Approach for Assessing the Value of Informal Care in Alzheimer’s Disease,” by A Cheneau and T Rapp

   Group 3: Addressing health equity in ADRD care innovations

7. “Changes in Out-of-Pocket Drug Expenditures Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Dementia Under the Inflation Reduction Act: A Simulation Study,” by Y Zhu, N Olchanski, KM Freund, JT Cohen, PJ Neumann, and P-J Lin
8. “Age and Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Dementia Among Older Australians,” by R Haque, K Alam, J Gow, C Neville, and SA Keramat
   

The collection of articles in this themed section illuminates challenges and opportunities in ADRD health economics. Moving forward, several priorities emerge: standardizing economic evaluation methodologies, developing more comprehensive approaches to measuring economic impact, and ensuring equitable access to care innovations.

"With the population aging, these priorities are becoming essential to ensure the sustainability of future healthcare spending for older people impacted by ADRD,” note the editors. “Indeed, as several innovations (pharmaceutical treatments for early stages of Alzheimer's disease, diagnosis tools using artificial intelligence algorithms, etc) are arriving on the healthcare markets, the need for a more accurate estimation of the potential economic benefits associated is becoming critical. We hope this themed section catalyzes further research, dialogue, and policy development to improve the lives of individuals affected by ADRD and their families."

Further Reading

• Putting a Dollar Value on Informal Care Time Provided to People Living With Dementia: A Discrete Choice Experiment
• Health Fluctuations in Dementia and Its Impact on the Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life Using the EQ-5D-5L
• Access to Disease-Modifying Alzheimer’s Therapies: Addressing Possible Challenges Using Innovative Payment Models
• Application of Discrete-Event Simulation in Health Technology Assessment: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment Using Real-World Evidence in Thailand
  

###

 ABOUT ISPOR
ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), is an international, multistakeholder, nonprofit dedicated to advancing HEOR excellence to improve decision making for health globally. The Society is the leading source for scientific conferences, peer-reviewed and MEDLINE^®-indexed publications, good practices guidance, education, collaboration, and tools/resources in the field.
Website  | LinkedIn  | Twitter (@ispororg)  |  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  

ABOUT VALUE IN HEALTH
Value in Health (ISSN 1098-3015) is an international, indexed journal that publishes original research and health policy articles that advance the field of health economics and outcomes research to help healthcare leaders make evidence-based decisions. The journal’s current impact factor score is 4.9 and its 5-year impact factor score is 5.6. Value in Health is ranked 5th of 118 journals in Health Policy and Services, 15th of 174 journals in Health Care Sciences and Services, and 56th of 597 journals in Economics. Value in Health is a monthly publication that circulates to more than 55,000 readers around the world.
Website  | Twitter (@isporjournals)