Dr Christine Lu

Dr Christine Lu is a pharmacist with a Masters degree in Science (Biopharmaceuticals) and a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology, the University of New South Wales. Christine's major research interests include access to and quality use of medications for patients with chronic diseases, pharmaceutical policy evaluation, pharmacoepidemiology and methodological issues of pharmacoepidemiology and pharmaceutical policy research. Her doctoral work focused on access to high cost biologic medicines via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Christine was a Pharmaceutical Drug Policy Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School in 2007-2008. Her Fellowship research assessed the impact of “prior authorization” policy on use of medications and health services. Christine is currently a Research Fellow funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Now based at UniSA's Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute, her present research focuses are using secondary data sources to examine the use and outcomes of medicines in real clinical practice and the effects of co-morbidities on medication use and associated outcomes among veteran patients with multiple chronic illnesses.

Ph.D., UNSW

MSc (Biopharmaceuticals), UNSW

B.Pharm, USyd

• Pharmaceutical policy, in particular evaluation research using quasi-experimental designs and ethical implications of policies
• Pharmacoeconomics - undertaking economic evaluations and their role in decision-making
• Health services research methods
• Pharmacoepidemiology; rational use of medicines
• Pharmacogenetics/Pharmacogenomics

Lu CY, Soumerai SB, Ross-Degnan D, Zhang F, Adams AS. Unintended Impacts of a Medicaid Prior Authorization Policy on Access to Medications for Bipolar Illness. Med Care (2009, in press)

McKinnon RA, Lu CY. Biosimilars are not (bio)generics. (Invited Editorial). Aus Presc (2009, in press)

Lu CY. Observational studies: A review of study designs, challenges and strategies to reduce confounding. Int J Clin Pract 2009; 63: 691-697

Lu CY. Pharmacoepidemiologic research in Australia: challenges and opportunities for monitoring patients with rheumatic diseases. Clin Rheumatol 2009; 28 (4): 371

Adams A, Zhang F, LeCates R, Graves A, Ross-Degnan D, Gilden D, McLaughlin T, Lu CY, Trinacty CM, Soumerai S. Prior authorization for antidepressants in Medicaid: effects among disabled dual enrollees. Arch Intern Med 2009;169(8):750-756

Lu V, Lu CY. Managing co-morbidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Int J Rheum Dis 2008; 11:201-205

Lu CY, Macneill P, Williams K, Day R. Access to high cost medicines in Australia: ethical perspectives. Aus NZ Health Policy 2008; 5:4

Lu CY, Ross-Degnan D, Soumerai S, Pearson SA. Interventions designed to improve the quality and efficiency of medication use in managed care: a critical review of the literature – 2001-2007. BMC Health Services Research 2008; 8:75

Chung Y, Lu CY, Graham G, Mant A, Day R. Utilisation of allopurinol in the Australian community. Intern Med J 2008; 38:388-95

Lu CY, Williams K, Day R. Access to biologic medicines for the treatment of rheumatic diseases: lessons from Australia. Int J Rheum Dis 2008;11:11-14

Lu CY, Ritchie J, Williams K, Day R. The views of stakeholders on controlled access schemes for high-cost antirheumatic biological medicines in Australia. Aus NZ Health Policy 2007; 4:26

Lu CY, Williams K, Day R. Has the use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs changed as a consequence of controlled access to high-cost biological agents through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme? Intern Med J 2007; 37:601-606

Lu CY, Williams K, Day R. The funding and use of high-cost medicines in Australia: the example of anti-rheumatic biological medicines. Aus NZ Health Policy 2007; 4:2

Kaye K, Lu CY, Day R. Can we deny patients expensive drugs? Aus Presc 2006; 29:146-148

Day R, Lu CY, Pearce G, Grainger D. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: rapid change and impetus towards achieving Quality Use of Medicines. J Pharm Prac Res 2007; 37:4-5

Hall WD, Mant A, Lu CY. The evidence base for registration and reimbursement of new pharmaceuticals in cancer treatment: surrogate and real health outcomes. Asia-Pacific J Clin Oncol 2006; 2: 119-121

Lu CY, Williams K, Day R. Accessing health outcome data on high cost medicines in Australia. Med J Aust 2006; 184:411-413

Lu CY, Williams K, Day R. Access to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors for Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment under the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Are we on target? Intern Med J 2006;36:19-27

Lu CY, Ritchie J, Williams K, Day R. Recent developments in targeting access to high cost medicines in Australia. Aus NZ Health Policy 2005;2:28

Hall W, Ward R, Liauw W, Brien J, Lu CY. Tailoring access to high cost, genetically targeted drugs. Med J Aust 2005;182:607-608

Lu CY, Williams K, March L, Bertouch J, Day R. Subsidised access to TNF-alpha inhibitors: is the rationale for exclusion of rheumatoid factor negative patients defensible? Med J Aust 2004; 181:457

Lu CY, March L, Sansom L, Bertouch J, Williams K, Day R. Access to high cost drugs in Australia Risk sharing scheme may set a new paradigm. BMJ 2004; 329:415-416