Dr. Jing Li, Associate Professor of Health Economics and Associate Director of the CHOICE Institute, has been selected as a finalist—alongside her co-authors—for the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation’s Policy Research Award. The recognition honors exceptional research that advances evidence-based health policy and contributes to improving the U.S. health care system.
The finalist paper, “Nothing for something: Marketing cancer drugs to physicians increases prescribing without improving mortality,” was published in February 2025 in the Journal of Public Economics. Using Medicare data on physician-administered cancer drugs, the study examines the impact of pharmaceutical marketing on physician prescribing behavior, health care spending, and patient outcomes.
The researchers find that marketing efforts directed at physicians increase the prescribing of cancer drugs and overall spending, without corresponding improvements in patient mortality. These findings raise important questions about value in cancer care and offer timely insights for policymakers and health system leaders working to align incentives with patient-centered outcomes and cost-effective care.
The NIHCM Foundation’s annual awards spotlight influential work that informs health policy and public understanding of health care issues. CHOICE Institute leadership and faculty are proud to see Dr. Li’s scholarship recognized among this distinguished group of finalists, underscoring the Institute’s ongoing commitment to rigorous research that informs real-world decision-making.
More information about the finalists can be found on the NIHCM Foundation website: https://nihcm.org/news/finalists-selected-the-2026-nihcm-awards-in-health-care-journalism-and-policy-research
The full paper is available via the Journal of Public Economics:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004727272500009X