Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Feb 2021
Review Comparative StudyCost-effectiveness of nivolumab in advanced melanoma: a drug review.
Introduction: The immune checkpoint inhibitors, including nivolumab, and targeted agents have dramatically improved the outcome for patients with unresectable advanced melanoma. Areas covered: This is a narrative review of the published evidence on nivolumab in metastatic melanoma. Expert opinion: In ipilimumab pre-treated patients (CheckMate 037), nivolumab was associated with a higher response rate and a longer duration of response when compared to chemotherapy. ⋯ In patients with previously untreated metastatic melanoma, the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies nivolumab and pembrolizumab improve survival when compared to ipilimumab. Nivolumab is equally active in BRAF mutated and BRAF wild type melanoma. The optimal sequence of checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF/MEK inhibitors in BRAF mutated patients has not been established.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Oct 2020
In our war against the opioid epidemic, could 'weed' be a winner?
The opioid epidemic has resulted in the deaths of millions of Americans and was declared a public health emergency in 2017. In response, many states have enacted policies and analyzed various interventions for harm reduction and overdose prevention, which have embraced limited success. With more states legalizing medical marijuana, another intervention of interest in pain management, much research has since focused on the potential for medical marijuana laws (MMLs) to curb the opioid epidemic. Nonetheless, marijuana legalization and its use for medical purposes has been a polarizing debate from ethical, social, and clinical perspectives. ⋯ Despite limited and mixed evidence of efficacy, medical marijuana may still play an important role in addressing the opioid epidemic in the United States. Furthermore, we believe coordinated responses among the federal government, states, researchers, and patients are crucial in producing more robust evaluations of medical marijuana and MMLs.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Dec 2019
ReviewLearning from our mistakes: using key opportunities to remove the perverse incentives that help drive antibiotic resistance.
Introduction: Governments need to do far more to help curb the emergence and transmission of antibiotic resistance and help protect the efficacy of any new antibiotics that come to the market. Industry is an important stakeholder that must be brought on-board such efforts given its influence on the direction and scale of antibiotic sales. Financial incentives supporting industry R&D of novel antibiotics should structurally remove the drivers of superfluous sales and encourage access to newer antibiotics where infections are otherwise resistant to treatment. ⋯ Expert opinion: Pharmaceutical companies need to be rewarded generously for their efforts to develop new, badly needed antibiotics. But the current marketplace does not provide a sustained financial lure and its reliance on unit-sales for profitability jeopardizes the efficacy of antibiotics both new and old. Fully delinked models can make antibiotic R&D more financially appealing and create a market environment that is far less threatening to public health.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Jun 2019
Excess annual economic burdens from nosocomial infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria in Thailand.
Background - Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major health threat worldwide as it brings about poorer outcomes and places economic burdens to society. This study aims to estimate the economic burdens from nosocomial infections (NI) caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in Thailand. Research design and methods - A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary hospital over 2011-2012. ⋯ The estimated annual benefit from eradicating AMR NI were US$ 4.2 billion from a societal perspective with the annual gains in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of 0.6 million due to the absence of 111,295 AMR cases each year. Conclusions - Large amount of money was spent on treatment and antibiotic costs to manage AMR infections. Benefit of eliminating these infections was estimated and it would be highly cost-effective.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Feb 2019
Comparative StudyMapping the cancer-specific QLQ-C30 onto the generic EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D in colorectal cancer patients.
Economic evaluation of healthcare interventions usually needs accurate data on utility and health-related quality-of-life scores. The aim of this study is to map QLQ-C30 scale score onto EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D utility values in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. ⋯ Our results demonstrated that algorithms developed based on OLS Models 1 and 2 are the best for predicted EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D values, respectively.