ICER's launch price and access report: 5 key takeaways and 5 questions we should all be asking

Improving prescription drug affordability and patient access remains a key policy objective in the US health care system, yet not every proposed solution will help us achieve this goal. To contribute to this ongoing policy discussion, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) published a report in October 2025 to evaluate the launch prices of new Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs and patient access to those therapies. This article highlights five key takeaways from the report and proposes five critical questions for consideration. Based on findings from ICER's Launch Price and Access report, this article offers key recommendations to move the US health care system toward one that pays for value and delivers affordable access for patients, while driving the next wave of innovation.