TheraTalks Ep. 7 | Evidence-Based Health Policy, HTA & Precision Medicine with Oscar Flores

Welcome to Episode 7 of TheraTalks. In this conversation, José Luis Cárdenas Tomažič, Founder & Managing Director of Thera Health Policy & Access, sits down with Oscar Flores, Managing Partner of Cabildum Consulting, one of Mexico’s leading health policy consulting firms, to discuss the evolution of evidence-based policymaking, health technology assessment, precision medicine, and healthcare system transformation across Latin America. Healthcare systems throughout the region face the challenge of translating scientific evidence into effective public policy while navigating institutional fragmentation, budget constraints, unequal access to innovation, and changing political priorities. In this episode, José Luis and Oscar explore how evidence is used in healthcare decision-making, the evolution of health technology assessment (HTA) in Mexico, and the growing importance of real-world evidence, value-based healthcare, and outcomes-based agreements. Oscar explains why healthcare decisions must balance scientific evidence with real-world operational constraints, including the availability of financial, human, and technological resources. The discussion examines how health technology assessment has evolved from relatively simple economic analyses to a sophisticated decision-making framework incorporating cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and value assessment methodologies. The conversation also explores efforts to standardize care through national clinical protocols and integrated disease management programs, including cardio-renal-metabolic care pathways and emerging applications of precision medicine in oncology. Oscar highlights how molecular diagnostics and personalized treatment approaches may help improve outcomes while requiring new policy, regulatory, and implementation frameworks. A central theme of the discussion is the increasing importance of evaluating whether healthcare interventions achieve their intended outcomes after implementation. José Luis and Oscar examine the potential role of real-world evidence, post-adoption evaluations, and risk-sharing agreements in creating more accountable and sustainable healthcare systems. Finally, the episode addresses the future of healthcare transformation through prevention, digitalization, interoperable health information systems, and artificial intelligence. They discuss how data-driven decision-making and cross-sector collaboration could strengthen population health and improve healthcare system performance over the long term. Key Topics Evidence-Based Health Policy in Latin America Health System Fragmentation and Access to Innovation Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Economic Evaluation Real-World Evidence and Outcomes-Based Agreements Clinical Protocols and Integrated Care Models Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics Prevention, Digital Health, and Artificial Intelligence 💡 About Our Guest Oscar Flores is the Managing Partner of Cabildum Consulting, one of Mexico’s leading health policy consulting firms. He has extensive experience in health technology assessment, healthcare system reform, market access, public policy, and healthcare innovation across Latin America. Throughout his career, he has worked with public institutions, industry stakeholders, and international organizations to strengthen evidence-based decision-making and improve access to healthcare. 🔗 Connect with Thera Health Policy & Access Website: www.thera-hpa.com 💬 We welcome your suggestions for future TheraTalks episodes and topics in the comments section. #TheraTalks #HealthPolicy #EvidenceBasedPolicy #HTA #HealthTechnologyAssessment #PrecisionMedicine #RealWorldEvidence #ValueBasedHealthcare #DigitalHealth #ArtificialIntelligence #MarketAccess #HealthcareTransformation #HealthEconomics #PopulationHealth #PublicHealth #HealthcarePolicy #Mexico #LatinAmerica #TheraHPA