In the final episode of the series, Omar speaks with Dr Abdulrazag Al-Jazairi, Advisor to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, about the rapidly evolving payer and HTA environment in Saudi Arabia.

They discuss what it means to develop payer infrastructure from the ground up, the influence of international frameworks on domestic decision-making, and how value-based agreements are beginning to play a role in national pricing strategy.

Key themes:

• HTA system development in Saudi Arabia
• Local adaptation of international pricing logic
• Role of VBAs in emerging access models

About The Payer Exchange

The Payer Exchange is a podcast where Omar Ali, Head of Payers at Verpora, sits down with payers from around the world to talk candidly about what’s shaping access, value, and decision-making in their markets.

The series covers a range of consistent themes across markets—such as horizon scanning, indication-based pricing, rare diseases, and system sustainability—while also highlighting country-specific dynamics. By asking the same core questions in each conversation, the podcast reveals both common pressures and contrasting approaches across healthcare systems.

The Payer Exchange is designed for professionals working in market access, pricing, policy, and strategy who want a deeper understanding of how payers are approaching the increasingly complex landscape of pharmaceutical innovation.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as legal or policy advice. All content is based on non-confidential intelligence. Views expressed by the speakers are personal opinions and should not be attributed to anyone else. No part of this presentation may be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express permission of Omar Ali, Verpora Limited.

Omar is joined by Professor Lieven Annemans, former chair of Belgium’s health economics advisory committee, to explore the complexities of European HTA policy.

They talk about the role of Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA), the risk of over-assessment in policy design, and the challenge of maintaining local relevance within a harmonised EU framework. Lieven brings perspective on how the purpose of assessment is sometimes lost in the process of implementation.

Key themes:

• Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) readiness and implications
• Local vs EU-level HTA alignment
• Over-assessment, duplication, and unintended bureaucracy

About The Payer Exchange

The Payer Exchange is a podcast where Omar Ali, Head of Payers at Verpora, sits down with payers from around the world to talk candidly about what’s shaping access, value, and decision-making in their markets.

The series covers a range of consistent themes across markets—such as horizon scanning, indication-based pricing, rare diseases, and system sustainability—while also highlighting country-specific dynamics. By asking the same core questions in each conversation, the podcast reveals both common pressures and contrasting approaches across healthcare systems.

The Payer Exchange is designed for professionals working in market access, pricing, policy, and strategy who want a deeper understanding of how payers are approaching the increasingly complex landscape of pharmaceutical innovation.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as legal or policy advice. All content is based on non-confidential intelligence. Views expressed by the speakers are personal opinions and should not be attributed to anyone else. No part of this presentation may be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express permission of Omar Ali, Verpora Limited.

In this episode, Omar speaks with Canadian health economist and policy advisor Don Husereau about Canada’s unique payer landscape. Don isn’t your typical policy analyst. He’s worked in HTA, advised governments, and written widely about the gaps, flaws, and hidden logic in pricing systems like Canada’s.

They discuss the decentralised nature of decision-making, the gap between evidence generation and clinical practice, and the disconnect between how healthcare science is developed versus how healthcare systems operate. Don shares his perspective on the pressures facing CADTH and how Canadian policy reflects a deeper tension between idealism and pragmatism.

Key themes:

• Decentralised payer environment in Canada
• Evidence generation vs clinical practice
• CADTH’s evolving role and MFN impact

About The Payer Exchange

The Payer Exchange is a podcast where Omar Ali, Head of Payers at Verpora, sits down with payers from around the world to talk candidly about what’s shaping access, value, and decision-making in their markets.

The series covers a range of consistent themes across markets—such as horizon scanning, indication-based pricing, rare diseases, and system sustainability—while also highlighting country-specific dynamics. By asking the same core questions in each conversation, the podcast reveals both common pressures and contrasting approaches across healthcare systems.

The Payer Exchange is designed for professionals working in market access, pricing, policy, and strategy who want a deeper understanding of how payers are approaching the increasingly complex landscape of pharmaceutical innovation.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as legal or policy advice. All content is based on non-confidential intelligence. Views expressed by the speakers are personal opinions and should not be attributed to anyone else. No part of this presentation may be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express permission of Omar Ali, Verpora Limited.