Sasha Z. Prisco, Alexander Kantorovich, Yan Liu, Sandeep Sahay, Roberto Bernardo, Vijay Balasubramanian, J. Usha Raj, Gil Golden, Franz Rischard, the PVRI Innovative Drug Development Initiative Access to Care Workstream
University of Minnesota Medical School. United Therapeutics Corporation. Houston Methodist Hospital. Stanford University. Indiana University School of Medicine. Valley Advanced Lung Diseases Institute. University of Illinois Chicago. University of Arizona College of Medicine.
United States
Pulmonary Circulation
Pulm Circ 2026; 16:
DOI: 10.1002/pul2.70229
Abstract
There is a limited understanding of how pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients are managed worldwide. The Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI) Innovative Drug Discovery Initiative (IDDI) global survey attempted to obtain insights into access to PH care in diverse international regions to pave future action plans. Responses from 151 centers (19.9% from Europe, 3.9% Middle East, 6% South Asia, 17.9% East Asia, 2% Sub-Saharan Africa, 31.8% Latin America, and 18.5% North America) were received. Most respondents had access to electrocardiography, echocardiography, and right heart catheterization but less availability to pulmonary function tests, ventilation/perfusion scans, and genetic testing. Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors were available in almost all centers but there was limited access to oral, inhaled, and parenteral prostacyclin therapy, riociguat, and selexipag. Cluster analysis of middle-high- and high income countries demonstrated significant variability in PH care delivery and disparities in therapeutic resources across the three clusters. The most common limitations identified that contribute to delayed PH diagnosis were insufficient financial resources, insufficient staff, and limited time. Survey respondents requested access to webinars with content experts (45%), access to content experts for consultation and review of complex cases via video chat (55%), resources to attend a conference (67.5%), and provision of a mentorship program (33.1%) along with greater availability of medications, remote conference access, clinical trial availability, and increased advocacy for patients. Survey results suggest significant disparities across the globe. Further research is needed to understand access to PH care and therapies in non-expert/academic centers and regional disparities within countries.
Category
Other: Access to Care
Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease or Adult Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Fresh or Filed Publication: Fresh (PHresh). Less than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: Yes