S4-E19.1 - How Did the Patient Advocates Come to Offer Testimonies?

Send us Fan MailIn March 2023, Jeff McIntyre (GLI) introduced a draft report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) on resmetirom and obeticholic acid for NASH. The Surfers dedicated an episode to expand on the contents, its shortcomings and potential implications with special guests Veronica Miller (Liver Forum) and Hannah Mamuszka (Alva10). In this conversation, SurfingNASHrevisits the topic after a public comments session took place last week. In doing so, patient advocates and friends of the podcast Mike Betel (Fatty Liver Alliance), Tony Villiotti (NASHkNOWledge) and Wayne Eskridge (Fatty Liver Foundation) join co-hosts Louise Campbell and Roger Green to share a range of impressions.Roger leads by asking the panelists how each came to give commentary and be involved in the process. Both Wayne and Tony disclose that they have previously worked with ICER through different interviews and seamlessly discovered the opportunity to speak on this occasion as a patient advocate. Wayne subsequently invited Mike to deliver a testimony as well. Next, Roger provides a soft introduction which teases the group to consider their feelings about the document and why each chose to comment on the items in which they noted in their testimonies. Similar to the reactions on our first episode on the Draft Report, it immediately becomes clear that the patient advocates also hold reservations regarding a number of different aspects that comprise the document. On one positive note, Tony commends ICER’s willingness to engage with the patient advocate community on a certain level.If you enjoy the episode, have questions or interest around patient advocacy and Fatty Liver disease, we kindly ask that you submit reviews wherever you download the discourse. Alternatively, you can write to us directly at [email protected] Safe and Surf On!