Dr. Nick Proctor
Louisa Oliver

Understanding Pharma Market Access in the US

With Dr Nick Proctor & Louisa Oliver Byrne

Course Details

The United States is the largest national pharmaceutical market, making up over 40% of total pharmaceutical spending worldwide. Understanding the managed care ecosystems and stakeholders in the US is thus critical knowledge for all managers involved in the global launch of any pharmaceutical.

The US pharmaceutical market is just as complex and diverse as European health systems, with unique payer drivers and pricing and access decision-making differing significantly across market segments. As a set of highly dynamic systems, it is also important to understand the impact of events like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act on commercialisation in this major market.

So, to ensure you are ready to navigate your company/brands towards successful commercial launch in the US, a first step is to grasp the fundamental structure and dynamics of US market access. Secondly, you need to foresee the potential routes to successful market access and how to deal with the most common market access challenges.

This course will give you all of that in just one day! You will have the unique opportunity to ask your specific questions to two outstanding market access experts, and also learn a lot from your international peers in the course.
 

This is one of the best Market Access trainings I have taken. The course materials were excellent, concise, and very well-structured. I appreciated Nick and Louisa as highly qualified trainers. I also valued the organisation of the course, including the ease of registration and the early delivery of printed and digital materials to review in advance. The pace of the course and the balance with questions and answers were perfect! I gained a lot from the course.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Oramon Nimkannon, Capability Lead Pricing & Contracting - Germany - April 2025

  1. The structure and key players of US Managed Care systems, and how they compare with other global systems.

  2. The scope of medical benefit and how to navigate the pricing and access control mechanisms in this system.

  3. The role and significance of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and how to navigate the pricing and access control mechanisms in the pharmacy benefit system.

  4. The tools and context needed to understand and discuss the potential future impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, increased PBM transparency, and other recent policy decisions.

  5. Strategies for navigating towards successful market access and how to deal with the most common challenges along the way.

Course agenda

 

A great introduction to exploring the complexity of achieving value for patients in the US.

UCB

Sophie Housiaux, Equitable Access & Policy Lead - Belgium - April 2025

 

 

 

Welcome & Introductions (~30 min)
Understanding US Managed Care Systems (~1 h) 
  • Key health systems in the US: Private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare,…
  • Key similarities and differences with other global systems
  • The two key health system structures in the US (i.e. medical benefit vs. pharmacy benefit) and key players
Navigating the Medical Benefits System (~2 h) 
  • What does medical benefit cover and what does this mean for patients? 
  • Decision-making processes, drivers and influence of the key players: Managed Care Organisations, Hospital P&T Committees, Group Purchasing Organisations & IDNs
  • Pricing and access control mechanisms and how to prepare for them
Lunch Break
Navigating the Pharmacy Benefit System (~1 h 45 min) 
  • What does pharmacy benefit cover and what does this mean for patients?
  • Decision-making processes, drivers and influence of the key players: Managed Care Organisations, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, employers
  • Pricing and access control mechanisms and how to prepare for them (e.g., Tiering, Prior Authorisation, Step Edit,…)
Future Outlook (~1 h 30 min) 
  • Three major consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Direct Medicare price negotiations - Part D plan redesign - Inflationary capping
  • The future impact of the IRA on pricing and market access in the US and globally
  • Considering the ongoing pressure for PBM transparency and the potential impact on drug pricing
  • Discussion of the potential future impact of recent policy decisions
Market Access Dynamics in the US (~30 min) 
  • The routes to successful market access in the US
    • The importance of channel (pharmacy vs. medical benefit) and payer mix analysis
    • Standard processes to prepare for (e.g., AMCP dossier) and how they link to global market access planning
    • Opportunities to engage with US payers (e.g., the Pre-approval Information Exchange)
  • Common market access challenges and how to deal with them
    • Competitive pricing as a barrier to entry
    • Cross-channel competitors
    • Lessons learned
Final Q&A (~15 min) 

 

Download Brochure

 

Complete the below form to download the full course brochure. It outlines the detailed agenda, learning outcomes, expert info and some testimonials from past participants.

  • Nick Proctor is a Partner at Access Infinity with over 25 years of experience in pricing, reimbursement, and access projects for many of the world’s top pharma brands. He has worked extensively with payers and providers across all segments of the US managed care system. Nick also supported the US and global launch planning of multiple products during his four years living in the US.

  • Louisa Oliver Byrne leads Access Infinity’s US Managed Care Centre of Excellence. With over seven years of experience as a global pricing and market access consultant, Louisa has spearheaded numerous US-focused engagements to support evidence generation, payer value stories, and pricing strategies.

  • Nick has been a CELforPharma faculty member since 2015, and Louisa since 2024. Both are passionate trainers and experts in leading interactive, engaging sessions, ensuring participants gain practical and actionable insights.
     

Great presentations on the key players in US Market Access, clearly explaining unique payer drivers and the pricing and access decision-making processes in the US. I also enjoyed the insightful discussions around future outlooks and the potential impact of new legislation.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Sine Ilday, Senior Manager Global HCA & Market Access - Germany - April 2025

All in-country market access executives moving to a global role should take this course.

In addition, executives in functions that contribute to market access optimisation in the US will also greatly benefit:

  • Medical Affairs

  • Marketing

  • Clinical Development

  • Health Outcomes

If you are a consultant, please contact Annelies Swaan, who will check with the faculty whether you can attend. 

Would you like to receive a list of anonymised participant profiles from previous sessions? 

Email Annelies Swaan

 

 

UPCOMING DATES & FORMATS - FEES

22 October 2025

Live online (CET timing)

Early bird € 1 470

(until 19/09/2025)

(Full fee € 1 670)

 


TIMING & LOCATION

  • Live Online (CET): Zoom sessions between 9 AM and 5 PM CET (Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris time).

  • Live Online (EST): Zoom sessions between 8 AM and 4 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time).

  • Face-to-Face: Held at the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport (Da Vincilaan 4, 1831 Brussels), between 9 AM and 5 PM CET. Preferential hotel rates available for participants.

All practical details will be shared upon registration. For any questions, please contact Margherita Mutto or call +32 472 03 11 38 .

 

GROUP DISCOUNTS

Team discounts can be offered to 2 or more delegates from the same company.

Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details. 

 

HOW TO REGISTER

  • Click the green “Register” button on your preferred course session.
    The registration wizard will guide you through the process.

  • Alternatively, download the offline registration form and send the completed form to Annelies Swaan.

 

PAYMENT OPTIONS

  • Credit Card: You’ll receive a secure payment link with your invoice (no immediate payment required).

  • Bank Transfer: Details provided with your invoice.

For help with registration, email Annelies Swaan or contact her by phone at +32 486 98 52 49.

 

INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRATION FEE

  • Access to a highly interactive, small-group online course (max 20 participants)

  • Course materials in both digital and hard copy format

  • Certificate of attendance signed by the experts and CELforPharma

 

VAT INFORMATION

Prices exclude VAT. VAT application depends on course format and your location:

  • Face-to-Face in Belgium: 21% Belgian VAT applies

  • Live online courses & self-study programme: The applicable VAT depends on your invoicing address. Contact your local VAT office for refund procedures where applicable.

 

TRANSFER & CANCELLATION POLICY

Flexible Transfer

If a registrant is unable to attend the scheduled course, they can avoid any cancellation charges by providing a suitable replacement participant.

Alternatively, the registrant may transfer once, on a 'space-available' basis and at no extra cost, to another course of the same value held within one year of the original course date, provided this is done at least three weeks prior to the event.

Registration Cancellation

  • Less than 14 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay the full invoiced registration fee.

  • Between 15 and 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay 50% of the invoiced registration fee.

  • More than 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay a cancellation fee of € 450 per registrant.

If a registrant postpones their participation to a future course and subsequently cancels again, no refund will be issued for the registration fees.
 

The average Recommendation Score from participants of the last session was 

9,4/10!

 

 

Testimonials from past participants:

This is one of the best Market Access trainings I have taken. The course materials were excellent, concise, and very well-structured. I appreciated Nick and Louisa as highly qualified trainers. I also valued the organisation of the course, including the ease of registration and the early delivery of printed and digital materials to review in advance. The pace of the course and the balance with questions and answers were perfect! I gained a lot from the course.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Oramon Nimkannon, Capability Lead Pricing & Contracting - Germany - April 2025

A great introduction to exploring the complexity of achieving value for patients in the US.

UCB

Sophie Housiaux, Equitable Access & Policy Lead - Belgium - April 2025

Great presentations on the key players in US Market Access, clearly explaining unique payer drivers and the pricing and access decision-making processes in the US. I also enjoyed the insightful discussions around future outlooks and the potential impact of new legislation.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Sine Ilday, Senior Manager Global HCA & Market Access - Germany - April 2025

I can highly recommend this course! Nick and Louisa gave a very clear presentation of the US Market Access systems.

GSK

Florian Toussaint, Market Access and Public Affairs Manager - France - September 2024

Special thanks to Louisa and Nick for their ability to explain complex subjects in a comprehensive manner. I also really appreciate the quality of the provided materials.

Medincell

Bérengère Duhamel, Business Insight and Market Access Leader - France - September 2024

I highly appreciate the structured and business-focused approach in explaining complex healthcare issues with a clear and simple-to-understand story.

Olpha

Elena Bushberg, Executive Director - Latvia - September 2024

People attending this course are typically also interested in the below courses. 

Need help to find the right course? Email Inge Cornelis (Director, Client & Product Projects) or call +32 473 65 15 77

Course Details

Dates & Locations

22 October 2025

Live online (CET timing)

Register

Upcoming Session

22 October 2025, Live online (CET timing)

Early bird € 1 470

(until 19/09/2025)

 (Full fee € 1 670)

Prices are excl. VAT

The United States is the largest national pharmaceutical market, making up over 40% of total pharmaceutical spending worldwide. Understanding the managed care ecosystems and stakeholders in the US is thus critical knowledge for all managers involved in the global launch of any pharmaceutical.

The US pharmaceutical market is just as complex and diverse as European health systems, with unique payer drivers and pricing and access decision-making differing significantly across market segments. As a set of highly dynamic systems, it is also important to understand the impact of events like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act on commercialisation in this major market.

So, to ensure you are ready to navigate your company/brands towards successful commercial launch in the US, a first step is to grasp the fundamental structure and dynamics of US market access. Secondly, you need to foresee the potential routes to successful market access and how to deal with the most common market access challenges.

This course will give you all of that in just one day! You will have the unique opportunity to ask your specific questions to two outstanding market access experts, and also learn a lot from your international peers in the course.
 

This is one of the best Market Access trainings I have taken. The course materials were excellent, concise, and very well-structured. I appreciated Nick and Louisa as highly qualified trainers. I also valued the organisation of the course, including the ease of registration and the early delivery of printed and digital materials to review in advance. The pace of the course and the balance with questions and answers were perfect! I gained a lot from the course.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Oramon Nimkannon, Capability Lead Pricing & Contracting - Germany - April 2025

  1. The structure and key players of US Managed Care systems, and how they compare with other global systems.

  2. The scope of medical benefit and how to navigate the pricing and access control mechanisms in this system.

  3. The role and significance of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and how to navigate the pricing and access control mechanisms in the pharmacy benefit system.

  4. The tools and context needed to understand and discuss the potential future impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, increased PBM transparency, and other recent policy decisions.

  5. Strategies for navigating towards successful market access and how to deal with the most common challenges along the way.

Course agenda

 

A great introduction to exploring the complexity of achieving value for patients in the US.

UCB

Sophie Housiaux, Equitable Access & Policy Lead - Belgium - April 2025

 

 

 

Welcome & Introductions (~30 min)
Understanding US Managed Care Systems (~1 h) 
  • Key health systems in the US: Private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare,…
  • Key similarities and differences with other global systems
  • The two key health system structures in the US (i.e. medical benefit vs. pharmacy benefit) and key players
Navigating the Medical Benefits System (~2 h) 
  • What does medical benefit cover and what does this mean for patients? 
  • Decision-making processes, drivers and influence of the key players: Managed Care Organisations, Hospital P&T Committees, Group Purchasing Organisations & IDNs
  • Pricing and access control mechanisms and how to prepare for them
Lunch Break
Navigating the Pharmacy Benefit System (~1 h 45 min) 
  • What does pharmacy benefit cover and what does this mean for patients?
  • Decision-making processes, drivers and influence of the key players: Managed Care Organisations, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, employers
  • Pricing and access control mechanisms and how to prepare for them (e.g., Tiering, Prior Authorisation, Step Edit,…)
Future Outlook (~1 h 30 min) 
  • Three major consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Direct Medicare price negotiations - Part D plan redesign - Inflationary capping
  • The future impact of the IRA on pricing and market access in the US and globally
  • Considering the ongoing pressure for PBM transparency and the potential impact on drug pricing
  • Discussion of the potential future impact of recent policy decisions
Market Access Dynamics in the US (~30 min) 
  • The routes to successful market access in the US
    • The importance of channel (pharmacy vs. medical benefit) and payer mix analysis
    • Standard processes to prepare for (e.g., AMCP dossier) and how they link to global market access planning
    • Opportunities to engage with US payers (e.g., the Pre-approval Information Exchange)
  • Common market access challenges and how to deal with them
    • Competitive pricing as a barrier to entry
    • Cross-channel competitors
    • Lessons learned
Final Q&A (~15 min) 

 

Download Brochure

 

Complete the below form to download the full course brochure. It outlines the detailed agenda, learning outcomes, expert info and some testimonials from past participants.

  • Nick Proctor is a Partner at Access Infinity with over 25 years of experience in pricing, reimbursement, and access projects for many of the world’s top pharma brands. He has worked extensively with payers and providers across all segments of the US managed care system. Nick also supported the US and global launch planning of multiple products during his four years living in the US.

  • Louisa Oliver Byrne leads Access Infinity’s US Managed Care Centre of Excellence. With over seven years of experience as a global pricing and market access consultant, Louisa has spearheaded numerous US-focused engagements to support evidence generation, payer value stories, and pricing strategies.

  • Nick has been a CELforPharma faculty member since 2015, and Louisa since 2024. Both are passionate trainers and experts in leading interactive, engaging sessions, ensuring participants gain practical and actionable insights.
     

Great presentations on the key players in US Market Access, clearly explaining unique payer drivers and the pricing and access decision-making processes in the US. I also enjoyed the insightful discussions around future outlooks and the potential impact of new legislation.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Sine Ilday, Senior Manager Global HCA & Market Access - Germany - April 2025

All in-country market access executives moving to a global role should take this course.

In addition, executives in functions that contribute to market access optimisation in the US will also greatly benefit:

  • Medical Affairs

  • Marketing

  • Clinical Development

  • Health Outcomes

If you are a consultant, please contact Annelies Swaan, who will check with the faculty whether you can attend. 

Would you like to receive a list of anonymised participant profiles from previous sessions? 

Email Annelies Swaan

 

 

UPCOMING DATES & FORMATS - FEES

22 October 2025

Live online (CET timing)

Early bird € 1 470

(until 19/09/2025)

(Full fee € 1 670)

 


TIMING & LOCATION

  • Live Online (CET): Zoom sessions between 9 AM and 5 PM CET (Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris time).

  • Live Online (EST): Zoom sessions between 8 AM and 4 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time).

  • Face-to-Face: Held at the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport (Da Vincilaan 4, 1831 Brussels), between 9 AM and 5 PM CET. Preferential hotel rates available for participants.

All practical details will be shared upon registration. For any questions, please contact Margherita Mutto or call +32 472 03 11 38 .

 

GROUP DISCOUNTS

Team discounts can be offered to 2 or more delegates from the same company.

Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details. 

 

HOW TO REGISTER

  • Click the green “Register” button on your preferred course session.
    The registration wizard will guide you through the process.

  • Alternatively, download the offline registration form and send the completed form to Annelies Swaan.

 

PAYMENT OPTIONS

  • Credit Card: You’ll receive a secure payment link with your invoice (no immediate payment required).

  • Bank Transfer: Details provided with your invoice.

For help with registration, email Annelies Swaan or contact her by phone at +32 486 98 52 49.

 

INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRATION FEE

  • Access to a highly interactive, small-group online course (max 20 participants)

  • Course materials in both digital and hard copy format

  • Certificate of attendance signed by the experts and CELforPharma

 

VAT INFORMATION

Prices exclude VAT. VAT application depends on course format and your location:

  • Face-to-Face in Belgium: 21% Belgian VAT applies

  • Live online courses & self-study programme: The applicable VAT depends on your invoicing address. Contact your local VAT office for refund procedures where applicable.

 

TRANSFER & CANCELLATION POLICY

Flexible Transfer

If a registrant is unable to attend the scheduled course, they can avoid any cancellation charges by providing a suitable replacement participant.

Alternatively, the registrant may transfer once, on a 'space-available' basis and at no extra cost, to another course of the same value held within one year of the original course date, provided this is done at least three weeks prior to the event.

Registration Cancellation

  • Less than 14 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay the full invoiced registration fee.

  • Between 15 and 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay 50% of the invoiced registration fee.

  • More than 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay a cancellation fee of € 450 per registrant.

If a registrant postpones their participation to a future course and subsequently cancels again, no refund will be issued for the registration fees.
 

The average Recommendation Score from participants of the last session was 

9,4/10!

 

 

Testimonials from past participants:

This is one of the best Market Access trainings I have taken. The course materials were excellent, concise, and very well-structured. I appreciated Nick and Louisa as highly qualified trainers. I also valued the organisation of the course, including the ease of registration and the early delivery of printed and digital materials to review in advance. The pace of the course and the balance with questions and answers were perfect! I gained a lot from the course.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Oramon Nimkannon, Capability Lead Pricing & Contracting - Germany - April 2025

A great introduction to exploring the complexity of achieving value for patients in the US.

UCB

Sophie Housiaux, Equitable Access & Policy Lead - Belgium - April 2025

Great presentations on the key players in US Market Access, clearly explaining unique payer drivers and the pricing and access decision-making processes in the US. I also enjoyed the insightful discussions around future outlooks and the potential impact of new legislation.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Sine Ilday, Senior Manager Global HCA & Market Access - Germany - April 2025

I can highly recommend this course! Nick and Louisa gave a very clear presentation of the US Market Access systems.

GSK

Florian Toussaint, Market Access and Public Affairs Manager - France - September 2024

Special thanks to Louisa and Nick for their ability to explain complex subjects in a comprehensive manner. I also really appreciate the quality of the provided materials.

Medincell

Bérengère Duhamel, Business Insight and Market Access Leader - France - September 2024

I highly appreciate the structured and business-focused approach in explaining complex healthcare issues with a clear and simple-to-understand story.

Olpha

Elena Bushberg, Executive Director - Latvia - September 2024

Dates & Locations

22 October 2025

Live online (CET timing)

Register