Applied health economics and health policy
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Oct 2014
Review Meta AnalysisE-vita open plus for treating complex aneurysms and dissections of the thoracic aorta: a NICE medical technology guidance.
The E-vita open plus is a one-stage endoluminal stent graft system used for treating complex aneurysms and dissections of the thoracic aorta. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), as a part of its Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme (MTEP), selected this device for evaluation and invited the manufacturer, JOTEC GmbH, to submit clinical and economic evidence. King's Technology Evaluation Centre (KiTEC), an External Assessment Centre (EAC) commissioned by the NICE, independently critiqued the manufacturer's submissions. ⋯ The EAC developed a new economic model incorporating data on complications along with their long-term costs. The revised model indicated that the E-vita open plus might not provide cost savings when compared with some of the comparators in the short-term (1 year), but would have high cost savings in the long-term, from the second year onwards. The NICE Medical Technologies Guidance MTG 16, issued in December 2013, recommended the adoption of the E-vita open plus in selected patients within the National Health Service in England.
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Oct 2014
Comparative StudyThe impact on health outcomes and healthcare utilisation of switching to generic medicines consequent to reference pricing: the case of lamotrigine in New Zealand.
Many countries have implemented generic reference pricing and substitution as methods of containing pharmaceutical expenditure. However, resistance to switching between medicines is apparent, especially in the case of anti-epileptic medicines. ⋯ Switching from brand to generic lamotrigine is largely devoid of adverse health outcomes; however, creating an incentive to ensure a greater proportion of patients switch to generic lamotrigine is required to achieve maximal financial savings from a policy of generic reference pricing.
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Aug 2014
Estimating the costs of opioid abuse and dependence from an employer perspective: a retrospective analysis using administrative claims data.
Opioid abuse and dependence is problematic across many age groups, including the working-age population and their dependents. Little is known, however, about the economic costs of opioid abuse/dependence imposed on employers, who pay for a substantial portion of healthcare costs through their contributions to employer-sponsored health insurance and are also affected by indirect costs such as those due to disability and workplace absenteeism. ⋯ Opioid abuse/dependence impose a substantial economic burden on employers.
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Jun 2014
Biosimilar granulocyte colony-stimulating factor uptakes in the EU-5 markets: a descriptive analysis.
Biosimilars are copies of biological reference medicines. Unlike generics (copies of chemical molecules), biologics are complex, expensive and complicated to produce. The knowledge of the factors affecting the competition following patent expiry for biologics remains limited. ⋯ The competition with G-CSF biosimilars varies significantly between EU-5 countries, probably because of G-CSF distribution channel differences. Currently, this competition is not mainly based on prices, but on local political options to stimulate tendering between them and recently branded second- or third-generation products.
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Apr 2014
Comparative StudyDirect medical costs for complications among children and adults with diabetes in the US commercial payer setting.
Complications associated with diabetes are a major contributor to the burden of the disease. To better inform decision modelling, there is a need for cost estimates of specific diabetes-related complications, stratified by diabetes type and patient age group. ⋯ With the continuing and increasing interest in child and adult T1DM and T2DM, stakeholders will need relevant and timely information to guide treatment decision making. This cost research may directly inform the economic models that are often developed to better identify, understand and manage key economic considerations that drive the costs of this chronic disease.