Leading health economist recognized for pioneering research that has transformed the study of value in healthcare and patient-centered decision-making.
Darius Lakdawalla, a leading health economist and academic expert affiliated with Cornerstone Research, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).
The prestigious election, which is regarded as one of the highest professional distinctions in the field, recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, healthcare, and public health. Election to the NAM honors those whose voluntary service to the nation provides independent, objective analysis and advice on complex health issues.
Professor Lakdawalla, who serves as chief scientific officer at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, was selected as one of one hundred new members for his groundbreaking work in transforming how the economic value of medical innovation is calculated.
The Academy acknowledged Professor Lakdawalla for “using economic insights to reorient health care value assessment around what matters to patients and their families, identifying policies promoting value-based decisions by providers and medical innovators, and illuminating the role of patient behavior in affecting health outcomes.”
The prestigious National Academy of Medicine election recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, healthcare, and public health.
Professor Lakdawalla’s contributions include the development of the Generalized Risk Adjusted Cost-Effectiveness (GRACE) method, a novel approach to assessing the value of care that accounts for patients’ perspectives—particularly those facing severe illness or disability—which traditional cost-effectiveness models often fail to capture. His influential studies have explored critical topics such as balancing pharmaceutical innovation with patient accessibility, and how patient behavior can affect health outcomes.
As an academic expert affiliated with Cornerstone Research, Professor Lakdawalla applies his extensive health economics and health policy expertise to complex litigation and regulatory matters involving life sciences, intellectual property, and competition.
In addition to his leadership role at the USC Schaeffer Center, Professor Lakdawalla holds the Quintiles Chair of Pharmaceutical Development and Regulatory Innovation at the USC Mann School and serves on the faculty at the USC Price School of Public Policy.