Growth of Health Economics and Outcomes Research and Real-World Evidence in Medical Communication, and Opportunities for Medical Writers

Abstract

Over the past 2 decades, the expansion of health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) has been responsible for an increasing quantity of medical communication, providing evaluations of the economic, clinical, and quality of life outcomes of health care interventions. The discipline has evolved to include real-world evidence (RWE) collected outside traditional clinical trials. The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research plays a crucial role in advancing HEOR by promoting best practices and bridging the gap between research and practical application. Medical writers specializing in HEOR and RWE interpret and present data analyses to various stakeholders, supporting evidence-based decision-making. In this article, we describe the experiences of 2 medical writers who specialize in HEOR communication, the range of documents they work on, and the strengths of a good HEOR writer. The growing importance of HEOR and RWE in medical writing represents an expansion of value-based health care and patient-centric outcomes in the pharmaceutical and health care industries.