Dr Jacqueline Evans
Research Manager, PHARMAC, Wellington, NZ
Dr Jackie Evans is currently Research Manager at PHARMAC, a new role established to lead PHARMAC's research activities and decision making. Prior to this she was Senior Therapeutic Group Manager leading national community and hospital funding activities for oncology and biologic medicines. Jackie has a particular interest in biosimilar medicines and their potential to improve access to, and the value of, biologic medicines.

Before joining PHARMAC in 2005, Jackie worked for the pharmaceutical industry in the UK in various roles managing global registration clinical trials and development programmes for HIV and oncology medicines. Jackie has a PhD in virology from the University of London and a BSc (Hons) in microbiology from the University of Reading



Let’s Work Together for Public Good: PHARMAC’s Place in the Research Ecosystem

PHARMAC’s role is “to secure, for eligible people in need of pharmaceuticals, the best health outcomes that can reasonably be achieved, and from within the amount of funding provided”. PHARMAC uses its Factors for Consideration to understand the relative importance of its funding options and inform its decisions. These consider health need, benefits and risks, suitability, value for money and affordability. 

PHARMAC is an evidence based organisation that learns, relying on evidence from various sources. Clinical trials are clearly a key evidence source, however, those that are primarily designed to answer regulatory questions often leave significant public good and funding questions unanswered. In such cases, PHARMAC must deal with the uncertainty in other ways e.g. by waiting for better evidence or resolving the uncertainty through commercial negotiations. PHARMAC also has ability to engage in, or commission its own research. 

We believe that public good research questions can be answered through good trial design and execution. It is important that the evidence provided by patients through their participation in clinical trials is sufficient to allow decision makers such as PHARMAC to make good, informed decisions that are in the public interest.