MAP - Market Access Podcast

Dr. Stefan Walzer

Market Access (or alternatively reimbursement) in health care is THE key competence in order to be commercially successful with a new drug, medical device or digital health application. However, given the fact that market access is a complex field involving various disciplines and is an ever-changing field, it is difficult to be up to speed with the different evolvements across the world. MAP is THE bi-weekly Market Access Podcast provided by MArS Market Access & Pricing Strategy, which is your health care consultancy in the German-speaking markets and allows you to keep up to date with market access , reimbursement and pricing issues in the D-A-CH countries and around the world. With MAP you will get a summary of core market access systems and processes as well as latest changes in regulations including statements and opinions of core decision makers and stakeholders from various countries. The CEO and founder of MArS is also the driver behind MAP: Dr. Stefan Walzer works in the field of payer strategy, pricing, health economics and reimbursement since 2004 and is the founder and CEO of MArS Market Access & Pricing Strategy GmbH based in Germany. MArS makes it as easy as possible for you to get your Pharmaceutical, MedTech or digital health product to the market and of course get the price it deserves. Stefan previously worked as a payer consultant for various global pharmaceutical and medical device / diagnostic companies, successfully launching their products across the world. He was the Global Payer Strategy Leader for various products and compounds at F. Hoffmann – La Roche AG, where he successfully developed early payer strategies as well as launching and maintaining the reimbursement process for top brands and early compounds. Stefan is capable in translating the clinical and economic evidence into successful reimbursement submissions and pricing negotiations especially in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Additionally he teaches market access, pricing and negotiations at the State University of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the University of Applied Sciences Weingarten-Ravensburg (both Germany). Besides other roles and responsibilities. Stefan was the head of the committee “Inpatient care” of the German Health Economic Association (DGGÖ). Furthermore he is also a member of the Austrian Health Economic Association (ATHEA) and the Swiss Health Economic Association (SGGÖ). Additionally, he is a member of the Access Advisory Committee of the Global Pneumonia Prevention Coalition. Stefan received a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Tuebingen (Germany), a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) and a post-graduate diploma in Clinical Trials from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK). He is co-author of more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles and more than 300 scientific abstracts.

  1. Can Innovative Contracting Turn High‑Cost Therapies into Sustainable Deals, Omar Ali?

    FEB 15

    Can Innovative Contracting Turn High‑Cost Therapies into Sustainable Deals, Omar Ali?

    In this thought‑provoking Market Access Podcast episode, host Stefan Walzer sits down with Omar Ali – Head of Payers at Vipora, former NICE advisor, and one of the sharpest minds in drug pricing and innovative contracting to unpack where drug pricing and reimbursement are really heading. They explore why cost‑effectiveness thresholds are making market access tougher than ever, how uncertainty around CAR‑T, gene therapies and orphan drugs fuels the “orphan bubble”, how innovative contracting and pay‑for‑performance can (sometimes) rescue multi‑million‑euro therapies and why the US is doing HTA at the end, not the beginning – with CMS negotiations, MFN and tariffs reshaping global pricing strategies. If you work in Market Access, pricing, Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) or policy, this conversation will resonate with the pressures you feel every day. Stay connected by subscribing on your favorite podcast platform or listening directly on our website: MAP Podcasts —and if you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to rate it and the podcast! MAP is the first and only bi-weekly market access podcast provided by MArS—and the global #1 podcast in the field of health economics. For more information about MArS Market Access and Pricing Strategy, visit: https://marketaccess4-0.com/ #MarketAccess #OrphanDrugs #RareDisease #DrugPricing #HealthEconomics #CostEffectiveness #BudgetImpact #RealWorldEvidence #InnovativeContracting #GeneTherapy #HealthcarePolicy #Payers #MAPPodcast #marketaccess #marketaccesspodcast

    53 min
  2. What Makes Australia’s HTA Approach to Equity and Health Productivity Unique, Zanfina Ademi?

    FEB 1

    What Makes Australia’s HTA Approach to Equity and Health Productivity Unique, Zanfina Ademi?

    In this Market Access Podcast episode, Dr. Stefan Walzer sits down with Prof. Zanfania Ademi, a health economist at Monash University, to explore how Australia’s healthcare system is tackling key issues in market access and health technology assessment. Discover how Australia blends international approaches and new methods being developed by Zanfina and her team like distributional cost-effectiveness and productivity-adjusted life years to advance equity and value in healthcare. Tune in for fresh insights on health as an investment, not just a cost, and what’s next for decision-makers. Key takeaways from the episode include the shift from qualitative to quantitative measures of equity in HTA, and the use of complex disease models and real-world evidence to drive smarter prevention strategies. The discussion also covers the growing recognition of both paid and unpaid work in productivity metrics, along with lessons from Switzerland on disinvestment, transparency, and the challenges of implementing new value measures in healthcare. Perfect for professionals in market access, health economics, and policy. Stay connected by subscribing on your favorite podcast platform or listening directly on our website: MAP Podcasts —and if you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to rate it and the podcast! MAP is the first and only bi-weekly market access podcast provided by MArS—and the global #1 podcast in the field of health economics. For more information about MArS Market Access and Pricing Strategy, visit: https://marketaccess4-0.com/ #MarketAccess #HTA #Reimbursement #HealthEquity #Productivity #HealthcareInnovation #Australia #HealthEconomics #Prevention #MAPPodcast #marketaccess #marketaccesspodcast

    43 min
  3. No Decisions for Us, Without Us: Why Patient Advocacy Matters in Market Access, Erica Bersin?

    JAN 15

    No Decisions for Us, Without Us: Why Patient Advocacy Matters in Market Access, Erica Bersin?

    In this episode of the Market Access Podcast, Erica Bersin—founder of ERO Health Communications—joins Dr. Stefan Walzer to discuss the changing role of patient involvement in healthcare. Drawing on her experience in both Europe and the U.S., Erica explains how single-payer systems make patient engagement easier, while the U.S. faces more challenges but also unique advocacy opportunities. She highlights the work of organizations like PCORI and the need for better data transparency. The episode features real-world examples from HIV/AIDS and breast cancer advocacy, as well as pharma’s efforts to involve patients in clinical trials. Erica’s personal story with multiple sclerosis underscores why every patient’s voice matters. Tune in for a hopeful look at how patients can help shape future healthcare decisions.  Stay connected by subscribing on your favorite podcast platform or listening directly on our website: MAP Podcasts. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to rate it and the podcast! MAP is the first and only bi-weekly market access podcast provided by MArS—and the global #1 podcast in the field of health economics. For more information about MArS Market Access and Pricing Strategy, visit: https://marketaccess4-0.com/ #MarketAccess #PatientEngagement #PatientAdvocacy #MedicalAdvocacy #HealthEconomics #Pharma #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcareDecisions #MAPPodcast #marketaccess #marketaccesspodcast

    35 min
  4. Why Should Pharma and MedTech Innovators Look at New Zealand, Julius Ohrnberger?

    12/01/2025

    Why Should Pharma and MedTech Innovators Look at New Zealand, Julius Ohrnberger?

    Tune in to this new episode of MAP to explore New Zealand’s unique healthcare and reimbursement landscape with Dr. Stefan Walzer and health economist Dr. Julius Ohnberger. Learn how PHARMAC combines HTA and payer roles, why equity and Māori health outcomes are central to market access and what global pharma can gain from launching in Aotearoa.  Key insights include why New Zealand’s HTA model stands out as a global unicorn, how to navigate cultural and equity requirements in submissions, the importance of local evidence and stakeholder engagement, the impact of budget constraints and the shift toward real‑world data and outcome‑based reimbursement, and why the country may be the ideal testbed for innovations in AI, screening, and chronic care. Essential for professionals in pricing, market access, and global health policy. Stay connected by subscribing on your favorite podcast platform or listening directly on our website: MAP Podcasts —and if you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to rate it and the podcast!" MAP is the first and only bi-weekly market access podcast provided by MArS — and the global #1 podcast in the field of health economics. For more information about MArS Market Access and Pricing Strategy, visit: https://marketaccess4-0.com/ #MarketAccess #HealthEconomics #Pharma #Reimbursement #NewZealand #DigitalHealth #HTA #Pharmac #HealthcareInnovation #EquityInHealthcare #MAPPodcast #marketaccess #marketaccesspodcast

    38 min

About

Market Access (or alternatively reimbursement) in health care is THE key competence in order to be commercially successful with a new drug, medical device or digital health application. However, given the fact that market access is a complex field involving various disciplines and is an ever-changing field, it is difficult to be up to speed with the different evolvements across the world. MAP is THE bi-weekly Market Access Podcast provided by MArS Market Access & Pricing Strategy, which is your health care consultancy in the German-speaking markets and allows you to keep up to date with market access , reimbursement and pricing issues in the D-A-CH countries and around the world. With MAP you will get a summary of core market access systems and processes as well as latest changes in regulations including statements and opinions of core decision makers and stakeholders from various countries. The CEO and founder of MArS is also the driver behind MAP: Dr. Stefan Walzer works in the field of payer strategy, pricing, health economics and reimbursement since 2004 and is the founder and CEO of MArS Market Access & Pricing Strategy GmbH based in Germany. MArS makes it as easy as possible for you to get your Pharmaceutical, MedTech or digital health product to the market and of course get the price it deserves. Stefan previously worked as a payer consultant for various global pharmaceutical and medical device / diagnostic companies, successfully launching their products across the world. He was the Global Payer Strategy Leader for various products and compounds at F. Hoffmann – La Roche AG, where he successfully developed early payer strategies as well as launching and maintaining the reimbursement process for top brands and early compounds. Stefan is capable in translating the clinical and economic evidence into successful reimbursement submissions and pricing negotiations especially in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Additionally he teaches market access, pricing and negotiations at the State University of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the University of Applied Sciences Weingarten-Ravensburg (both Germany). Besides other roles and responsibilities. Stefan was the head of the committee “Inpatient care” of the German Health Economic Association (DGGÖ). Furthermore he is also a member of the Austrian Health Economic Association (ATHEA) and the Swiss Health Economic Association (SGGÖ). Additionally, he is a member of the Access Advisory Committee of the Global Pneumonia Prevention Coalition. Stefan received a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Tuebingen (Germany), a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) and a post-graduate diploma in Clinical Trials from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK). He is co-author of more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles and more than 300 scientific abstracts.