PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Bruce J. Hillman AU - Richard A. Frank AU - Brian C. Abraham TI - The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance Conference on Research Endpoints Appropriate for Medicare Coverage of New PET Radiopharmaceuticals AID - 10.2967/jnumed.113.127886 DP - 2013 Sep 01 TA - Journal of Nuclear Medicine PG - 1675--1679 VI - 54 IP - 9 4099 - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/54/9/1675.short 4100 - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/54/9/1675.full SO - J Nucl Med2013 Sep 01; 54 AB - The outcomes of a 2011 Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) conference helped shape considerations about what might be the most appropriate pathways for the regulatory and payment considerations of new PET radiopharmaceuticals. As follow-up to that conference, MITA convened a second conference of stakeholders to advise payers on what might be acceptable endpoints for clinical trials to support the coverage of novel PET agents. The conference involved experts on imaging and clinical research, providers of PET services, as well as representatives of interested medical societies, the PET industry, and the regulatory and payer communities. The principal outcome of their deliberations was that it was unrealistic to expect trials of new PET radiopharmaceuticals to directly demonstrate a health benefit. Rather, intermediate outcomes, such as a positive change in patient management, would be more efficient and appropriate.