ISPOR Europe 2022: making the most of this year’s conference

Written by Laura Dormer, Editor
Events coverage Health economics ISPOR Outcomes research

ISPOR Europe 2022 will shortly be taking place (6–9 November) in-person in Vienna, Austria and well as virtually. With a packed 4-day program to navigate, expertly put together by ISPOR and the program committee, it’s vital to plan your time effectively so you don’t miss out on the sessions and activities that are most important to you. Here our Editor, Laura Dormer, shares an overview of the conference with some key opportunities to look out for.

Attending an ISPOR conference, whether it’s for the first time or as a seasoned delegate, is a great opportunity to hear from global healthcare leaders, build knowledge and connect with peers. The ISPOR Europe 2022 program is divided into many different content types, and it’s useful to plan in advance to make the most of your attendance, whether that’s in-person or virtual. Do also take a look at my Editor’s Picks, where I share my thoughts on some of the key sessions to look out for in Vienna.

View the full program here >>>

Plenary Sessions

Plenary Sessions are designed to provide an in-depth focus on a subject of topical importance, discussed by a panel of esteemed experts. The theme of this year’s conference is “Collaborating Across Borders: Building & Using Evidence to Enable Access”, and all three plenaries address the issue of harnessing the benefits of data sharing and cross-border collaboration between regulatory agencies and researchers.

  • Monday 7 November, 08:30–09:45 (CET) – The Convergence of HTA and Regulation: A New HTA Reality and Collaboration with Regulatory Agencies (Moderator: Rui Santos Ivo, INFARMED, Portugal)
  • Tuesday 8 November, 08:30–09:45 (CET) – Real-World Patient-Centered Research: Is It Possible Across Countries? (Moderator: Tara Symonds, Clinical Outcomes Solutions Ltd, UK)
  • Wednesday 9 November, 11:30–12:45 (CET) – Innovative Methods for Integrating Data across Outcomes and Borders (Moderator: Uwe Siebert, UMIT, Austria)

Spotlight Sessions

The three Spotlight Sessions focus on important areas of innovation in HEOR, in the form of moderated panel sessions. This year’s sessions cover a spectrum of topics, including:

  • Monday 7 November, 13:30–14:30 (CET) – Recommendations for a Harmonized Health Technology Assessment for Digital Medical Devices (DMDs) Across Europe: A Multi-Stakeholder Discussion (Moderator: Marcus Guardian, EUnetHTA, The Netherlands)
  • Tuesday 8 November, 13:30–14:30 (CET) – The Economics of Survival: A Discussion on the Role of Health Policy, Environmental Policy, and Economic Policy in Healthcare Decision Making (Moderator: Richard Charter, Alira Health, Switzerland)
  • Wednesday 9 November, 10:00–11:15 (CET) – Developments in the Use of Health Economics and Outcomes Research to Improve Enrollment and Retention in Clinical Trials (Moderator: Maureen Rutten-van Mölken, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Sessions include a variety of traditional sessions, including Issue Panels and Workshops, and are designed to ensure attendees are up to date with the latest developments in HEOR, and their implications for the future.

There are many such sessions across the conference, so juggling can be challenging! It is advisable to check the Program Guide to find out which sessions will also be available on-demand, to allow later viewing of any sessions you miss. Some options include:

  • Monday 7 November, 10:15–11:15 (CET) – Workshop: A Workshop on Developing Patient-Centered Real-World Evidence: Consensus Recommendations and Case Examples (Discussion Leader: Richard Willke, ISPOR, NJ, USA)
  • Monday 7 November, 13:30–14:30 (CET) – Issue Panel: European Payer, Regulatory, and HTA Perspectives on RWE: Closely Aligned or Far Apart? (Moderator: David Thompson, OPEN Health Evidence & Access, MD, USA)
  • Tuesday 8 November, 13:30–14:30 (CET) – Workshop: Using Target Trial Emulation for Estimation of Treatment Effects Using Real-World Data (Discussion Leader: Sreeram Ramagopalan, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Switzerland)

Case Studies

Case Studies are a new feature for this year’s conference and focus on the use of HEOR to inform a healthcare decision or series of decisions, noting successes and lessons learned.

  • Monday 7 November, 13:30–14:30 (CET) – Case Studies: Use of HEOR and Healthcare Decision Making

Posters

Posters offer a great opportunity to learn in-depth about the research being carried out by the HEOR community, and in particular offer an opportunity to discuss the work with the researchers themselves. Posters can be searched by topic via the conference search database, and delegates have the chance to speak with presenters at the following times:

  • Poster Session 1 Discussion Period: Monday 7 November, 11:15–12:15 (CET)
  • Poster Session 2 Discussion Period: Monday 7 November, 15:00–16:00 (CET)
  • Poster Session 3 Discussion Period: Tuesday 8 November, 11:15–12:15 (CET)
  • Poster Session 4 Discussion Period: Tuesday 8 November, 15:00–16:00 (CET)
  • Poster Session 5 Discussion Period: Wednesday 9 November, 09:00–10:00 (CET)

Guided poster tours are also available for the first time this year, highlighting curated collections of posters focused on key topics, including RWE, a spotlight on student research, rare and orphan diseases, and more. Each tour lasts 45 mins and includes the chance to discuss posters with their presenters.

Educational Symposia & HEOR Theater

Educational Symposia and HEOR Theater both provide informative presentations on areas related to ISPOR’s mission. Educational Symposia are sponsored presentations open to all delegates. The HEOR Theatre provides 30-min presentations focusing on working towards solutions by sharing the latest trends, products, and services. Some options include:

  • Monday 7 November, 14:45–15:15 (CET) – HEOR Theater: EU Joint Clinical Assessments: What Happens When Gold-Standard Evidence Is Out of Reach?
  • Monday 7 November, 15:00–16:00 (CET) – Educational Symposia: Inclusion of the Caregiver Perspective in Health Technology Assessment: The Case of Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Tuesday 8 November, 11:30–12:30 (CET) – Educational Symposia: Unlock Real-World Data with Machine Learning
  • Tuesday 8 November, 12:45–13:15 (CET) – HEOR Theater: Using RWD to Deliver Better Therapies and Outcomes – A Focus on Rare Disease

Networking opportunities

Networking opportunities are an important part of any conference, and delegates can benefit from this both in-person and virtually.

For in-person options, attendees can take part in Forums, Discussion Groups, and of course via the social events, including Monday night’s Welcome Reception (17:30–18:30) and Tuesday’s Networking Social (17:30–18:30), both taking place in the Exhibit Hall. These are my particular highlight, where I have the opportunity to meet with and personally thank The Evidence Base contributors and Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research authors.

Virtually, there is the opportunity to use the virtual conference platform to create chat channels, network one-on-one and in group chats, and network with exhibitors.

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.

ISPOR’s community of 14,000 individual and chapter members representing more than 100 countries engages a wide variety of healthcare stakeholders, including researchers and academicians, assessors and regulators, payers and policy makers, the life sciences industry, healthcare providers, and patient engagement organizations. The Society’s leadership has served as an unbiased resource and catalyst for innovation in the field for more than 25 years.

Get in touch!

If you are presenting your work at ISPOR Europe 2022 and are interested in featuring it on the site or for publication in Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, do get in touch!