Former US Health & Human Services Administrator Named Keynoter

CRANBURY, N.J., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Association for Value-Based Cancer Care (AVBCC) is delighted to announce that John O'Brien, PharmD, MPH, former Senior Advisor to the Secretary, US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), will present a Summit Keynote speech and Q&A at the 2019 AVBCC Summit on Thursday, October 17, in New York City.

The AVBCC Summit is the premier gathering of practitioners, pharmacists, payers, policymakers, and other stakeholders from across the cancer care spectrum. The multiday professional conference is held annually and will return this year to the historic New York Athletic Club in Manhattan, October 16-18.

Dr. O'Brien was the Senior Advisor to Secretary Alex Azar for Drug Pricing Reform, where he led policy development on multiple administration priorities, including drafting and executing President Trump's drug pricing blueprint. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy, and a key advisor to the Secretary for Health Policy Research, Development, and Analysis related to Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance.

Previously, Dr. O'Brien had served as Advisor to the Secretary for health reform and drug pricing, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Prior to joining HHS, Dr. O'Brien held senior policy positions in the life sciences and managed care industries, was a career official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the Obama administration, and served as a Health Policy Fellow in the US Senate. He has a master's degree in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a doctoral degree in pharmacy from Nova Southeastern University, and studied pharmacy and public policy at the University of Florida.

This will be his first speaking appearance since leaving the administration in August. "We are incredibly excited to bring John to the Summit for his first post-government speaking engagement," said AVBCC Founder and Co-Chair Burt Zweigenhaft. "He was an integral part of HHS's efforts to bring down the high price of prescription drugs, and I'm certain his remarks will be invaluable for our Summit attendees." Zweigenhaft continued.
For the past 9 years, the AVBCC Summit has brought together nationally recognized experts, faculty speakers, panelists, key opinion leaders, C-suite executives, and managers whose goals are to improve patient care and maximize patient access and outcomes through care coordination.

The AVBCC Summit will also feature a keynote presentation by Scott Gottlieb, MD, Former FDA Commissioner. With the addition of Dr. O'Brien to the program, Zweigenhaft stated, "we have locked down 2 of the key architects of the current landscape in cancer care."

O'Brien's and Gottlieb's sessions will be among the highlights anticipated during the 3 full days of planned workshops, panel discussions, sponsored knowledge exchanges, and impromptu conversations. Other scheduled speakers will be announced. More information about the full agenda, presenters, and registration is available on the AVBCC Summit home page.

AVBCC was established nearly a decade ago to provide a network for payers and oncology healthcare professionals to interact and exchange knowledge to promote optimal care for patients and their families. It currently consists of more than 450 members and is the fastest growing national specialty organization dedicated to improving the care of cancer patients and their quality of life, by discussing, considering, and assessing the value equation as it relates to new and existing cancer therapies.

The Lynx Group (TLG) is an Official Association Management Partner of AVBCC. TLG is a global strategic alliance of medical communication and education companies with headquarters in Cranbury, NJ. Employing a unique business model, the company provides pivotal and contemporary information and education for all stakeholders in healthcare.

SOURCE The Lynx Group