The continued need for independent research on prescription drugs.

Research on prescription drugs has been stimulated both by the cost pressures facing public and private purchasers and by the policy debates over Medicare and Medicaid drug benefits. Some research has focused on cost-effectiveness questions, particularly comparisons of competing drugs, but the need for both evidence-based reviews and new comparative trials is acute. Another pressing need is for more policy research to supplement recent studies looking at topics such as access to drug coverage, the effectiveness of cost containment measures, and drug pricing. Policymakers find such research valuable as they design benefits for Medicare and Medicaid.