Wei Zhang MA, PhD
Associate Professor (Tenure)
Program Head–Health Economics and Scientist, Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes
Dr. Wei Zhang is a health economist and associate professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC. She is also a Scientist and Program Head of Health Economics at the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes (formerly CHÉOS). Dr. Zhang completed her MA in Economics from the University of Ottawa and PhD in Health Care and Epidemiology from the UBC School of Population and Public Health. She also completed post-doctoral fellowship at CHÉOS.
Dr. Zhang’s research aim is to integrate theoretical and empirical findings with health policies, services and practices through the application of economic theories and methods in health research. As a former Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar, Dr. Zhang’s program of research focuses on developing methods that measure and value work productivity loss among patients and caregivers as an important patient-reported outcome and cost component from a societal perspective; and applying these methods in economic evaluations of new health care interventions to inform health care decision making. Her research interests also include pharmaceutical policy and access to medicines, and the linkage of pharmaceutical databases to increase research capacity.
Work Productivity Loss
Rodriguez Llorian E, Zhang W, Khakban A, Michaux K, Patten S, Traboulsee A, Oh J, Kolind S, Prat A, Tam R, Lynd LD. Employment status, productivity loss and associated factors among people with multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. 2023. doi:10.1177/13524585231164295
Zhang W, Tocher P, L’Heureux J, Sou J, Sun H. Measuring, analyzing and presenting work productivity loss in randomized controlled trials: A scoping review. Value in Health. 2023;26:123–37. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2022.06.015
Zhang W, Sun H. How to analyze work productivity loss due to health problems in randomized controlled trials? A simulation study. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2021;21:130. doi: 10.1186/s12874-021-01330-w
Gelfand A, Sou J, Sawatzky R, Prescott K, Pearce A, Anis AH, Lee C, Zhang W. Valuation of lost productivity in caregivers: A validation study. Frontiers in Psychology. 2021;12:727871. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727871
Zhang W, Bansback N, Boonen A, Severens JL, Anis AH. Development of a composite questionnaire, the Valuation Of Lost Productivity, to value productivity losses: application in rheumatoid arthritis. Value in Health. 2012;15(1):46–54. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2011.07.009
Pharmaceutical Policy
Zhang W, Sun H, Guh DP, Grootendorst P, Hollis A, Anis AH. The impact of the proposed price regulations on new patented medicine launches in Canada: a retrospective cohort study. CMAJ. 2024;196(20): E691–E701. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.231485
Zhang W, Guh DP, Grootendorst P, Hollis A, Anis AH. The impact of changing the reference countries on the list prices for patented medicines in Canada: A policy analysis. Health Policy. 2024;144:105064. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105064
Zhang W, Sun H, Guh DP, Lynd L, Hollis A, Grootendorst P, Anis AH. The impact of tiered pricing framework on generic entry in Canada. International Journal of Health Policy and Management. 2022;11:768–76. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.215
Zhang W, Guh DP, Sun H, Lynd L, Hollis A, Grootendorst P, Anis AH. Factors associated with drug shortages in Canada: A retrospective cohort study. CMAJ Open. 2020;8:E535–E544. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20200036
Economic Evaluation
Van MT, Loewen P, Sadatsafavi M, Zhang W, Hawkins N, Turgeon RD. Pharmacotherapy sequencing strategies for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A cost-utility analysis. CMAJ. 2024; 196 (36) E1221–E1231; doi: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.240116
de Anda JA, Irvine MA, Zhang W, Salway T, Haag D, Gilbert M. Cost-effectiveness of internet-based HIV screening among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Metro Vancouver, Canada. PLOS ONE. 2023;18(11):e0294628. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294628
Mohammadi T, Guh D, Tam ACT, Pataky R, Black P, So A, Lynd L, Zhang W, Conklin A. Economic evaluation of prostate cancer risk assessment methods: a cost-effectiveness analysis using population data. Cancer Medicine. 2023;12(19):20106–20118. doi: 10.1002/cam4.6587
Zhang W, Wong CH, Chavannes M, Mohammadi T, Rosenfeld G. Cost-effectiveness of fecal calprotectin used in primary care in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. BMJ Open. 2019;9:e027043. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027043
Outstanding Reviewer, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2023
Scholar Award, Michael Smith Health Research BC, 2019–2024
Trainee Award (Postdoctoral Fellowship), Michael Smith Health Research BC, 2013–2016
“Bridging the gap between expanded pharmacist services and payment models.” Zhang W (PI). $250,000. Ministry of Health Research Seed Grant. 2023–2024.
“Care, health, economics, and society: Spillover effects of caregiving in Canada.” Zhang W (PI). $100,000. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Patient-Oriented Research (Early-Career Investigator). 2023–2024.
“Connecting clinical research and economic evaluation by mapping lung function to EQ-5D utility scores in patients with fibrosis interstitial lung disease.” Zhang W (Co-PI). $50,000. BC Lung Foundation. 2022–2024.
“Evaluating and informing Canada’s proposed pharmaceutical price regulations.” Zhang W (Co-PI). $581,400. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant. 2021–2025.
“Improving health economic evaluation: better measures of work productivity losses due to illness in Canada.” Zhang W (PI). $436,048. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant. 2019–2023.
“Associations between chronic conditions and presenteeism: An analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data.” Zhang W. Work, Stress, and Health Conference. Virtual. November 11, 2023.
“The impact of the proposed price regulations on the listed price for patented medicines in Canada.” Zhang W. International Health Economics Association World Congress. Cape Town, South Africa. July 10, 2023.
“Measurement and valuation of work productivity loss.” Zhang W. ISPOR NZ (New Zealand) Webinar. Invited Presentation. Virtual. June 25, 2021.
“Factors associated with drug shortages in Canada.” Zhang W. Special Policy Seminar: Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Sustainability. Invited Presentation by the C.D. Howe Institute. Virtual. September 29, 2021.
“Cost-effectiveness of internet-based HIV screening in men who have sex with men in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.” Zhang W. The Health Technology Assessment International annual meeting. Virtual. July–December, 2020.
“Tougher proposed regulations didn’t affect access new meds, but there’s room for improvement.” Advancing Health News, https://www.advancinghealth.ubc.ca/research-in-action/tougher-proposed-regulations-didnt-affect-access-new-meds-but-theres-room-for-improvement/, May 27, 2024.
“Unlocking hidden costs: Measuring, analyzing and communicating work productivity loss for patients and caregivers.” CHÉOS News, https://www.advancinghealth.ubc.ca/research-in-action/unlocking-hidden-costs-measuring-analyzing-and-communicating-work-productivity-loss-for-patients-and-caregivers/, June 26, 2023.
“What is the optimal approach to determine prices of generic drugs?” CHÉOS News, https://www.cheos.ubc.ca/research-in-action/what-is-the-optimal-approach-to-determine-prices-of-generic-drugs/, November 17, 2022.
“Older impaired adults with home care support from family and friends are less like to receive formal, paid care.” CHÉOS News, https://www.cheos.ubc.ca/research-in-action/older-impaired-adults-with-home-care-support-from-family-and-friends-are-less-likely-to-receive-formal-paid-care/, August 4, 2021.
“One quarter of prescription drugs in Canada may be in short supply.” Medicalxpress, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-08-quarter-prescription-drugs-canada-short.html, September 1, 2020.
“B.C. experts gauge bottom line of new drugs.” Business in Vancouver, https://www.biv.com/article/2017/1/bc-experts-gauge-bottom-line-new-drugs/, January 10, 2017.
