Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Dec 2011
ReviewThe impact of diabetes mellitus on healthcare costs in Italy.
Diabetes mellitus is an increasingly common chronic disease that has a great impact not only in terms of clinical effects, but also in terms of economic burden worldwide. Expenditures due to diabetes derive essentially from direct and indirect costs. Current estimates of global healthcare expenditures due to diabetes are US$376 billion and are expected to increase to US$490 billion by 2030. ⋯ Current estimates for 2010 healthcare expenditure for diabetes are US$105 billion (10% of total healthcare expenditure, US$2046 per person) for the whole European region, and US$11 billion (9% of total healthcare expenditure, US$2087 per person) for Italy. More studies are needed in order to better define the real significance of the healthcare costs of diabetes in Italy. An effective therapy with a good metabolic control can reduce the risk of complications and represents a valid strategy from an economic point of view.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Dec 2011
ReviewAdherence to long-term adjuvant hormonal therapy for breast cancer.
Tamoxifen is an essential drug in treating hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and has been used successfully for the past three decades. More recently, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have also shown great promise in reducing breast cancer recurrence. ⋯ This article reviews the most recent literature reporting adherence rates for tamoxifen and AIs, as well as correlates of adherence. Factors that help to explain nonadherence are reviewed, including the side-effect profile, and approaches to intervention to enhance adherence are discussed.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Dec 2011
ReviewCost-effectiveness of insulin detemir: a systematic review.
The prevalence of diabetes and cost of associated treatment are steadily increasing, as is the resulting burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Current treatment recommendations for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes advise a prominent role for basal insulin. ⋯ Those that did not find IDet to be cost effective set the disutility of hypoglycemic events to almost zero or assumed a higher dose of IDet with no difference in treatment effect, ignoring the clinical benefits and cost savings associated with IDet in studies demonstrating comparable or superior glycemic control with less hypoglycemia versus other basal insulins. The evidence suggests that IDet is cost effective versus neutral protamine Hagedorn and at least as cost effective as insulin glargine in the treatment of patients with suboptimally controlled Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Dec 2011
ReviewThe impact of reference-pricing systems in Europe: a literature review and case studies.
As healthcare budgets are continuously rising in Europe, governments implement a wide variety of policies to control them. Reference pricing is a popular tool for governments to contain pharmaceutical expenditures, as 22 European countries have implemented this system. This article evaluates the impact of reference-pricing systems on drug use, drug prices, drug expenditure and health outcomes. ⋯ Reference pricing drives down prices of drugs subject to the system and the use of these drugs has increased. Reference pricing creates short-term savings but the long-term growth of drug expenditure has not been reduced by reference pricing. Health outcomes of patients were not negatively affected by the system.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Dec 2011
Universal coverage with rising healthcare costs; health outcomes research value in decision-making in Latin America.
This is a short summary of the two plenary sessions held at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Latin American Conference in Mexico City (Mexico) in September 2011, with 477 registrants and 235 accepted abstract submissions. The first asked how attainable universal coverage is in the face of rising costs of health technologies; and the second considered the value of health outcomes research to decision-makers. This conference provided a scientific forum where researchers, health technology producers and public and private decision-makers shared their experiences and research in the field of health economic evaluations, health technology assessment and patient-reported outcomes/health-related quality of life studies. It was the third biennial regional meeting in Latin America, the next one being in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 2013.