Reflection on the Value-Based Healthcare Conference 2025: Implications for Cell and Gene Therapy in Malaysia

On 9 July 2025, I had the privilege of attending the Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) Conference 2025, organized by the Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA) at Sheraton Petaling Jaya. The conference brought together healthcare leaders, policymakers, industry partners, and academic experts to explore how Malaysia can adopt a value-based approach to healthcare delivery, one that prioritizes outcomes that truly matter to patients while ensuring sustainability of the healthcare system.

Several key insights emerged during the conference:

1. Shifting the Paradigm from Volume to Value

Discussions focused on transitioning from a fee-for-service model to one that rewards improved health outcomes. This approach emphasizes patient-centered care, real-world evidence, and long-term value creation rather than short-term procedural metrics.

2. Importance of Health Outcomes Measurement

The measurement of patient-reported outcomes and real-world evidence was highlighted as central to operationalizing VBHC. This has direct implications for high-cost, high-impact therapies like Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT), where long-term follow-up and functional improvements are more meaningful than intermediate clinical markers.

3. Collaborative Ecosystem Development

Successful VBHC implementation requires collaboration between public health authorities, industry players, academia, and patients. The need for public-private partnerships, outcome-based contracts, and aligned incentives was echoed across multiple sessions.

4. Sustainable Financing Models for Innovative Therapies

As Malaysia explores reimbursement frameworks for advanced therapies, the conference highlighted global practices in outcomes-based reimbursement and risk-sharing agreements, critical for integrating CGT into mainstream care while managing financial risk.

Linking VBHC to Cell and Gene Therapy

The principles of Value-Based Healthcare are not only timely but also essential as Malaysia begins to prepare for the mainstreaming of regenerative and personalized medicine. Cell and Gene Therapy represents one of the most disruptive innovations in healthcare, offering curative potential for conditions previously deemed untreatable. However, these therapies also present challenges related to affordability, access, long-term safety, and ethical governance.

In this context, the VBHC framework offers a viable path forward:

• Demonstrating Value Beyond Cure: CGT products must generate robust long-term outcomes data to justify upfront costs. Patient registries, real-world evidence, and patient-reported outcomes will be crucial.

• Outcome-Based Agreements: Innovative pricing models that link payment to actual clinical benefit—such as milestone-based or annuity-style payments—will be essential to make CGT sustainable in national health systems.

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: A value-based CGT ecosystem requires collaboration across clinicians, pharmacists, biotechnologists, health economists, and policymakers—reflecting the multidisciplinary ethos that SSCTR champions.

As we build momentum toward the integration of CGT into Malaysia’s healthcare landscape, aligning with Value-Based Healthcare principles will be key to ensuring that these innovations translate into equitable, sustainable, and meaningful outcomes for patients. The SSCTR is committed to fostering this transformation by promoting collaboration, education, and responsible advancement of CGT in Sarawak and beyond.

We look forward to engaging with partners across disciplines to realise this shared vision of future-ready healthcare.

Dr. Samuel Ting Chuo Yew

President, Sarawak Society for Cell and Gene Therapy Research (SSCTR)

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for public awareness and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or endorsement of any specific treatment, product, or provider. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making decisions related to stem cell or gene-based therapies.

The accompanying image is an AI-generated artistic representation and does not depict any actual person, product, facility, or medical procedure. It is used solely for illustrative and educational purposes.

The Sarawak Society for Cell and Gene Therapy Research (SSCTR) shall not be held liable for any interpretation, misuse, or action taken based on the contents of this publication. All information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and is not intended to substitute guidance from the Ministry of Health Malaysia, the Malaysian Medical Council, or any other regulatory authority.