James C. Robinson, PhD, MPH
- Chair, Health Policy and Management Division
- Leonard D. Schaeffer Endowed Chair, Health Economics and Policy
- Director, Berkeley Center for Health Technology
Biography
James Claude Robinson is a Professor of Health Economics in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has the title of the Leonard D. Schaeffer Endowed Chair in Health Economics and Policy. Robinson is also the Chair of the Berkeley Center for Health Technology, which supports research and professional education projects related to coverage, management, and payment methods for innovative technologies including biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics.
At Berkeley, Professor Robinson teaches health policy and economics, focusing on the biotechnology, medical device, insurance, physician, and hospital sectors. He has published three books and over 140 papers in scientific and policy journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Health Affairs.
Research Interests
- Biotechnology policy and strategy
- Innovation and affordability for medical technology
- Innovation policy in the life sciences
- International comparisons of technology pricing and purchasing
- Health insurance
- Physician and hospital payment methods
Education
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Fellowship – Health Policy
University of California, San Francisco -
PhD – Economics
University of California, Berkeley -
MPH – Health Planning and Policy
University of California, Berkeley -
BA – Economics and Philosophy
University of California, Santa Cruz
Publications
- PubMed
- View Selected Publications
Robinson JC. Funding of Pharmaceutical Innovation after the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA 2021; 325(9):825-826.
Robinson JC. Lower Prices and Greater Patient Access – Lessons from Germany’s Drug-Purchasing Structure. New England Journal of Medicine 2020; 382:2179-2181.
Robinson JC, Whaley C, Brown TT, Dhruva S. Physician and Patient Adjustment to Reference Pricing for Drugs. JAMA Network Online 2020; 3(2):e1920544.
Berkemeier F, Whaley C, Robinson JC. Increasing Divergence in Drug Prices between the United States and Germany after Implementation of Comparative Effectiveness Analysis and Collective Price Negotiations. Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy 2019; 25(12):1310-1317.
Robinson JC, S Howell, SD Pearson. Value-based Pricing and Patient Access to Specialty Drugs. JAMA2018; 319(21):2169-2170.
Robinson JC, Whaley C, Brown TT. Association of Reference Pricing with Drug Selection and Spending. New England Journal of Medicine2017; 377:658-675.
Robinson JC, Whaley C, Brown TT. Reference Pricing Changes the Consumer Choice Architecture of Health Care. Health Affairs 2017; 36(3):524-530.
Robinson JC. Value-based Physician Payment in Oncology: Public and Private Insurer Initiatives. Milbank Quarterly 2017; 2017; 95(1):184-203.
Robinson JC, Whaley C, Brown TT. Impact of Reference Pricing on Consumer Choices, Laboratory Prices, and Total Spending for Diagnostic Tests. JAMA Internal Medicine2016;176(9):1353-1359. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.2492. Published online July 25, 2016.
Courses Taught
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- PH 222A
- Health Care Technology Policy
- PH223E
- HPM Capstone Course
- PH24
- The Economics of Pharmaceutical Innovation
- PH 226A
- Health Economics