The 2026 Pillar Guide
HEOR: Health Economics & Outcomes Research
HEOR is the discipline that proves the value of a treatment, combining health economics with outcomes research to inform pricing, reimbursement and access.
This guide covers what HEOR is, its core methods, how real-world evidence powers it and where it is heading, ahead of RWE Connect 2026 in Boston.
Free. Instant download. No obligation.
The definition
What Is HEOR?
HEOR turns evidence into the case a payer will act on. It sits at the heart of pricing, reimbursement and access, and real-world evidence has become central to how that value is demonstrated.
The toolkit
The Building Blocks of HEOR
A handful of methods and deliverables underpin almost every HEOR programme. These are the core ones.
Clearing it up
Health Economics vs Outcomes Research
HEOR joins two disciplines. One measures the money, the other measures the results. Together they make the value case.
Health Economics
- Cost and cost-effectiveness
- Budget-impact and affordability
- Economic models and ICERs
- Answers: is it worth the cost?
Outcomes Research
- Real-world clinical outcomes
- Patient-reported and humanistic outcomes
- Effectiveness in routine practice
- Answers: does it improve outcomes?
HEOR generates the evidence; market access turns it into reimbursement. See the HEOR consultancies that deliver it.
The RWE connection
How Real-World Evidence Powers HEOR
Real-world evidence has become central to HEOR. It is where the payer conversation increasingly turns, and a core theme at RWE Connect 2026.
See the full real-world evidence guide for how the data becomes evidence.
The state of the field
The State of HEOR in 2026
HEOR is a moving target as policy and payers evolve. These are the forces reshaping it, and themes on the agenda at RWE Connect 2026.
Who is in the room
Who Attends RWE Connect 2026
A senior, focused audience of the people who build and evaluate the value case.
Seniority is confirmed: 150+ attendees, around 60% at Director or VP level and above. The functional mix shown is indicative; confirmed registration splits are shared with sponsors from the live delegate list.
Glossary
Key HEOR Terms
Explore
The HEOR Ecosystem
The consultancies, evidence and methods that turn value into access. Explore the landscape and meet them in Boston.
Sponsor RWE Connect 2026
Meet the HEOR and Market Access Buyers in Boston
RWE Connect 2026 brings 150+ real-world evidence, HEOR and market access leaders together, around 60% at Director or VP level and above. Sponsors reach them directly.
RWE Connect 2026
Get the 2026 RWE Pipeline Report
The people, data and methods shaping real-world evidence and HEOR, in one download. See the landscape ahead of two days in Boston.
- The 2026 RWE vendor and data landscape
- Where value and evidence are heading
- How to take part in RWE Connect 2026
Free. Instant download. No obligation.
HEOR: Common Questions
What is HEOR?
Health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) is the discipline that measures the value of medical treatments, combining health economics with outcomes research to inform pricing, reimbursement and access decisions.
What is the difference between health economics and outcomes research?
Health economics studies the costs and cost-effectiveness of care, while outcomes research studies the real-world clinical, patient-reported and humanistic results of treatment. HEOR combines the two.
What does HEOR include?
Cost-effectiveness analysis, budget-impact analysis, burden-of-illness studies, patient-reported and clinical outcomes, value dossiers, and evidence synthesis such as systematic reviews and network meta-analysis.
What is an ICER?
The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is the additional cost of a treatment per unit of health gained, often expressed as cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY).
What is a QALY?
A quality-adjusted life year (QALY) is a measure of health that combines the length and quality of life into a single number, used to compare the value of treatments.
What is a value dossier?
A value dossier is a structured summary of the clinical and economic evidence for a therapy, such as an AMCP dossier, used to communicate value to payers and HTA bodies.
How does real-world evidence support HEOR?
Real-world evidence grounds the value story, closes evidence gaps at and after launch, supports HTA submissions, informs economic models, and provides the endpoints for outcomes-based agreements.
What is health technology assessment?
Health technology assessment (HTA) is the process payers and agencies use to evaluate a therapy’s clinical and economic value before deciding whether to fund it.
Who uses HEOR?
Pharmaceutical and biotech HEOR and market access teams, payers, HTA bodies, and consultancies use HEOR to demonstrate and evaluate the value of treatments.
Is HEOR the same as market access?
No. HEOR generates the economic and outcomes evidence, while market access turns that evidence into pricing, reimbursement and payer agreement. The two work closely together.
What is RWE Connect 2026?
RWE Connect 2026 is a two-day real-world evidence summit in Boston bringing together the RWE, HEOR, data and analytics leaders who generate and apply real-world evidence, with 40+ speakers and 150+ attendees.
When and where is RWE Connect 2026?
14 to 15 October 2026 at the Hampton Inn by Hilton, Boston Seaport District, Boston, MA.
