Asc Academics news feed

Let’s be honest: 𝗝𝗖𝗔 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗨 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. Actually, it’s exposed assumptions quietly holding teams back.

The good news: with the right strategy, the complexities can be managed. Success comes from planning for complexity, preparing for divergence, and building evidence packages that truly work across Europe.

💡 View the full carousel here to explore the 𝟱 𝗝𝗖𝗔 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝘀 we see most often, and how we help clients turn these challenges into actionable strategies.

In our latest publication, our colleagues Judith Bentvelzen, Gabriel G., Sara Quist, and Timon Louwsma systematically reviewed over 100 studies to understand how chikungunya manifests across age groups.

The findings make one thing clear: one-size-fits-all doesn’t cut it. Age has an impact on the humanistic and economic disease burden, and should shape how we diagnose, treat, and prevent chikungunya.

🔍 Read the full paper here.

#PublicationAlert #HEOR #Vaccines #Chikungunya #SLR

…and already turning insights into action!

𝟭. 𝗥𝗲-𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀. From the JCA to the MFN act, European launching strategies are under attack. We're already reflecting with our clients on different scenarios for their priorities next year, and how new rules can impact their priorities.

𝟮. 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜. although HTA bodies aren't accepting AI yet, we applaud the many companies using AI to help the life science sector improve its efficiencies. We see many applications, and are involved in various pilot projects, from automated literature reviews to HEOR models and animations.

𝟯. 𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥 𝟯𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗔𝘀𝗰 𝟭𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. As the field has matured and evolved over the years, so did we. Ongoing conversations with clients, partners, former colleagues, and prospective clients have reinforced the strength of our track record and the culture we’ve built.

See you next year at ISPOR!

#ISPOR #HEOR #JCA #MFN #HTA #AI

Europe’s new 𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗥 redefines how health innovations are evaluated, but vaccines challenge conventional methods. Their value goes beyond individual outcomes to include prevention, equity, and public trust.

How can we ensure that the EU HTAR works effectively for 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 from 2030 onwards, and fully captures their unique value?

In September, we partnered with 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 to bring together representatives from NITAGs, HTA bodies, patient organizations, and public health institutions to address exactly this question.

👇Check our key takeaways from the roundtable below!

Are you prepared to stress-test your approach?

Good talks. Great people. Fresh ideas.

Our team of six headed to Berlin to reconnect with partners, friends, and clients – and we came back full of ideas we can’t wait to turn into action.

💡Together, let’s keep shaping a future where every patient benefits from innovation and faster access!

This annual event in Groningen (the capital of the world) is a great opportunity to strengthen team spirit, stay active, and support one another, whether by running the race or cheering from the sidelines.

A big thank-you to everyone who participated and made the day such a success. Who was the best at Asc? Our fastest colleague was Antonie Smit, who crossed the finish line in an impressive 29:32!

We’re already looking forward to next year’s run! 💪

#4Mijl #HealthEconomics #Running #Groningen #TeamAsc #CompanyCulture

Imagine you have strong clinical evidence for a new medicine, but the data still falls short for reimbursement documentation. A challenge, but also an opportunity!

👉 The solution: smart statistics, data science, and strong collaboration.

We recently applied a peer-reviewed utility mapping approach from the literature to bridge gaps in health-related quality of life. The data came from a paediatric questionnaire, which by itself is not suitable for generating the utility weights needed to calculate quality-adjusted life years in a cost-effectiveness model.

We developed a tailored R script, drawing on our broad experience in health-economic modelling, to translate the questionnaire outcomes into utility values.

🎨Please join us in welcoming our talented new creatives: Xinyi Luo and Zoya Taseva, who are bringing fresh energy and magic to our graphic design and animation work, transforming deliverables and elevating the visual impact of our projects.

⭐Plus, a warm welcome to our new consultants: Seán Walsh, Guusje van Helden, Antonie Smit, and Ekaterina Bocharova.

We are thrilled to have your expertise and enthusiasm on board. On behalf of the whole Asc Academics community, welcome! Here’s to fresh ideas, great teamwork, and creating bigger impact together. 💪

#TeamUpdate #Welcome #NewBeginnings #CreativeTeam #Consulting #AscAcademics

With 10+ years of experience in oncology, we’ve supported projects in breast, lung, prostate cancer, and more. Now, with health technology assessment (HTA), joint clinical assessment (JCA), and indirect treatment comparisons (ITCs) shaping access in Europe, this work matters more than ever.

We’ll be in Berlin during ESMO 2025: meeting partners, sharing insights, and getting inspired by the latest breakthroughs in oncology.

Want to connect? Let’s make it happen. Just Asc.

Our Utrecht crew rolled up their sleeves for a chocolate-making workshop in honor of Sharon’s big achievement. Complete with creativity, teamwork, and a serious amount of tasting-on-the-go.

At Asc Academics, we don’t just celebrate milestones, we make them sweet.

👏 Huge cheers to Dr. Sharon Wolters. What a treat of an accomplishment!

For many, ISPOR is one of highlights of the year, giving us the opportunity to:

• (Re)connect with friends, partners, clients and fellow experts

• Get inspired by the latest trends in HEOR & Market Access

• Share ideas and spark new collaborations

• Increase the impact of our work

• Enjoy the conference location and quality time with our team

• Drop by our booth #116, or drop us a message in Glasgow.

Perhaps you'll even get an invite to our exclusive event...

👉 Will you be at ISPOR in Glasgow? Reach out to any of our team members!

We are incredibly proud to announce a very special milestone: today's PhD defence of our beloved and highly respected former colleague Jeroen Paulissen!

🎓In his research, Jeroen developed a flexible yet uniform model for metastatic breast cancer to make health technology assessments more efficient, ultimately accelerating patient access to innovative treatments.

Chikungunya is on the rise again. In Guangdong, China, over 7,000 cases of infection have been reported, and the WHO is calling for urgent preventive measures, recognising signals similar to those of major outbreaks two decades ago. These developments emphasise why research into effective vaccination is necessary.

🔍The Asc Academics team is at the forefront of this effort. In one of our studies, we analysed the clinical burden of chikungunya. We found that for 44% of those infected, symptoms such as arthralgia persisted after acute infection for weeks, months or years.

Check out the full post via the link!

#VaccineAccess #Chikungunya #EpidemicPreparedness

If you’ve ever hit “run model” and then had time to grab a coffee, lunch, and maybe even a weekend away… you know the feeling. ⏳

Big and complex health-economic models are powerful, but they can also feel like they’re stuck in slow motion. That’s why finding ways to speed things up isn’t just nice, it’s crucial.

So how do we make sure we’re using our time efficiently when building and running models?

Check out the full post via the link!

#Modelling #HealthEconomics #HEOR

We all know that it’s hard to spot mistakes when you’ve been looking at something for too long, which is why an extra pair of eyes can be extremely valuable. While performing modelling quality control (QC) services on behalf of our clients and other consultancies, some of our consultants have encountered health economic models with humorous yet rather questionable inconsistencies.

At face value, an economic model can appear user-friendly and fit-for-purpose, but during a QC, we’ve seen:

• The disappearance of people or patient resurrection 🧟‍♀️

• Wrong company logos being used (isn’t this their animal health logo?!)

• Individuals that had passed away still being included in treatment

Check out the full post via the link!

Last Friday, the Asc team traded models and manuscripts for golf clubs during an afternoon of Pitch & Putt!

The activity was a great way to unwind from busy weeks, having fun with learning a new skill and walking around over the sunny fields ☀️

After some initial bitterballen and drinks, we continued the evening enjoying a barbecue and catching up on each other’s weekend plans.

We’re already looking forward to our next team activity!

#LifeatAscAcademics #Groningen

Asc Academics shares insights from our latest research on the way that EU Member States are preparing for the Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA). The findings reveal significant variation in strategy, speed, and structure.

✨With divergent national strategies emerging, tailored expertise is essential. Asc Academics helps clients navigate these shifts with precision and foresight.

Check out the full post via the link!

With a growing Randstad team, our Utrecht office needed a change. We’re excited to announce that we have settled into a new space in the heart of Utrecht! Of course, we celebrated with a lunch and bubbles at the new office.

We found our new location right in the city centre, just a few minutes from the central station. This new location makes it easier than ever to meet up with clients, partners and other professionals in the field.

We’re happy to see our growth continuing and the Groningen team is looking forward to visiting the office to also enjoy the views 🌇

Come by for a coffee if you’re nearby because we’d love to show you around!

#LifeatAscAcademics #Utrecht #HEOR

Sofia, now Dr. Sheveleva, conducted her doctoral research at the University Medical Center Groningen, where she explored the molecular underpinnings of blood cancers such as acute myeloid leukaemia. Her work focused on the role of mutations and downregulation of epigenetic and DNA damage response enzymes, the significance of certain surface protein overexpression in leukemic cells, and the consequences of calcium signalling pathway deregulation in leukaemia development and progression.

We’re proud to have her in our team, where she now applies this analytical mindset to her work, including projects such as model adaptations, evidence generation and exploring new services such as utility mapping.

Congratulations, Sofia! 🥂

Check out the full post via the link!

Do you remember your tenth birthday? For Asc Academics' 🔟- year anniversary, we continued our celebrations at Restaurant Noor, which has won many international accolades, including a Michelin star ⭐

We were introduced to the world of fine dining by Marleen Brouwer-Bergwerf, the owner of this restaurant together with Jeroen Brouwer. It’s located at the characteristic Theresiachapel, which was beautifully repurposed. Like us at Asc, Noor is Dutch at heart, combining seasonal, local products from their garden with global techniques and experiences that are showcased in their culinary art.

One of the highlights of the evening was the fivefold interpretation of celeriac, named by Michelin as one of the top five dishes in the whole world (bottom left picture). Another was the nostalgia that came with the speeches by Rimma and Evgeni, sharing major milestones and amusing anecdotes that shaped the first decade of Asc Academics.

As for the rest of the evening, we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves!

#LifeatAscacademics #Celebrations #Growth

What do a world champion in ice skating, a Chief Medical Officer of a leading life science company, an external PhD candidate, a patient advocate, and a VP of Market Access of a MedTech CRO have in common?

They have all been kind enough to inspire our team by hosting our legendary internal Inspiration Sessions, where we give stage to world-class achievers to share their stories of perseverance and growth, and educate us on their specific field of expertise.

Check out the full post via the link!

#LifeatAscAcademics

🎓 It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure, that we look forward to today's PhD defense of our beloved colleague Sharon Wolters ✨

⏰ Her topic on the European HTA of oncology drugs, is as timely as ever, for pharmaceutical companies, governments and experts alike.

👓 Want to know her vision, or get inspired by seeing how she will shine?

Check out the full post via the link!

#PhDDefense #MarketAccess #HealthEconomics #LifeSciences

At Asc Academics, we are dedicated to promoting eye health and raising awareness about vision-related conditions. Eye conditions are rising and already affect millions globally, putting large pressure on the healthcare system. Did you know that in the Netherlands, ophthalmology is one of the three specialities with the longest waiting lists?

Therefore, this month, we are taking a moment to reflect on some of our contributions to advancing eye care and vision science.

Check out the full post via the link!

#HealthyVisionMonth #VisionforAll #PublicHealth #Awareness

On World Diversity Day, we’re reminded that health outcomes aren’t one-size-fits-all. At Asc Academics, we continue to deepen our understanding of equitable research through inclusive outcomes research, access models and value frameworks.

From Brazil to Italy, from Egypt to Ethiopia; for those who didn’t know, our team spans the map 🌍– and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The team we have now brings together a global mix of experiences and insights. We’re proud to be a team of global citizens, each bringing a unique perspective to the workday.

Check out the full post via the link!

#WorldDiversityDay #HEOR #HealthEquity #LifeAtAscacademics #MarketAccess #EconomicModelling

As we head into #ISPOR2025, the global conversation will focus on what’s next for Health Technology Assessment – and what HTA bodies are prioritizing. However, one of those priorities is already clear: sustainability.

💡 Our colleague Hidde Nab recently shared our strategy for integrating environmental impact into healthcare value assessments at the hashtag#WorldEPACongress.

Check out the full post via the link!

#Sustainability #LifeCycleAssessment #HealthEconomics #SustainabilityinHealthcare #HTA

We recently went on a quest to identify the personality types at Asc. With Wietse Bijma, we gained insights into differences in people’s behaviours and how this shapes the way we collaborate, communicate and reflect on ourselves!

Our team is a healthy mix of the cool blues (analytical, accurate, data-driven 📊), the inspirational yellows (the communicators, and big-picture folks 🎨), the rock-solid greens (stable, consistent, harmonisers 🤝) and a few leadership reds (the goal-oriented go-getters 🚀).

Check the full post via the link!

#LifeAtAscacademics #ArjenLubach #DISCProfile #DiversityInTeams

In May 2015, Evgeni Dvortsin founded Asc Academics with a vision to bridge the gap between Groningen talent and the global life science community, contributing to a healthier future. At only 26 years old, but under the supervision of legendary professor Maarten Postma, he started Asc Academics’ mission, one project at a time.

To all friends, partners, clients and frenemies we made along the way - to many more decades together! 🎉 Because obviously, as true pioneers, we are thinking towards the next 10 years 😉 What are your memories from the last 10 years?

Check out the full post via the link!

#LifeAtAscAcademics #HEOR #HealthEconomics #Celebrating10Years #MarketAcess #PricingandReimbursement

HPV related cervical cancer results in 𝟯𝟱𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀 globally every year, despite being largely preventable. Our research found significant variations in the healthcare 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 of cervical cancer per country, ranging from 3,814 USD per individual in Poland, to 79,717 USD in South Korea. Key barriers to HPV prevention remain limited access to vaccines via immunisation programmes, healthcare disparities, misinformation, and inconsistent healthcare provider recommendations.

Together with Asc Academics’ longtime collaborator Maarten Postma, we comprehensively analysed the economic burden and human impact of HPV across 13 countries representing different healthcare systems, immunisation programmes, cultural backgrounds, geographic regions, and epidemiological landscapes.

Check the full post via the link!

#HealthcareEconomics #CervicalCancer #PreventableDiseases #VaccineAccess #HPVprevention #PharmaStrategy

At Asc Academics, we believe that excellence starts with well-being. A healthy, supportive working environment is the foundation for sustained high performance – we’re committed to creating just that.

We know that when our people thrive, so does their performance – and that’s how we deliver exceptional results to our clients!

Check the full post via the link!

#LifeatAscAcademics #OpenCulture #StressAwarenessMonth #MentalHealth

Stefan Konings, one of our senior consultants and IT specialists, has successfully defended his thesis, "From administrative data to improved schizophrenia care: On economic modelling of psychotic disorders in a Dutch setting," earning his 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲! 🎓 Through his research on the economic modelling of psychotic disorders in the Netherlands, Steef has provided valuable insights into the field of mental health. This achievement is a significant contribution to the innovation we greatly value at Asc.

At Asc Academics, we are proud to have experts like Steef, who bring deep scientific knowledge and fresh perspectives to our health economic modelling team. We’re delighted to celebrate this milestone with him! 🏆

Check the full post via the link!

A huge thank you to everyone who visited our booth, joined our presentation, and connected with us.

We were thrilled by the energy around our session on sustainability and the growing industry awareness of its importance. It’s exciting to see real momentum in shaping innovative access pathways, integrating real-world evidence, and evolving HEOR’s role in policy decisions. Key discussions this year emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between payers, regulators, and industry—with a clear focus on sustainability in assessment frameworks and the potential of AI in market access.

We are looking forward to turning these insights into action!

#MarketAccess #HEOR #EPA2025 #Pharma

Did you know it is International Women’s Day tomorrow? This is why today, we take a moment to recognize the incredible women at Asc Academics. In our fast-paced HEOR world, they push boundaries, drive innovation, and shape the future of healthcare.

Thank you for inspiring us and making our workplace a beacon of progress and inclusion.

💡 How do the women in your team inspire you?

#InternationalWomensDay #WomenInHEOR #HEORSolutions #PharmaLeaders #HealthcareStrategy