PharmacoEconomics
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A prospective economic analysis of autologous peripheral blood progenitor-cell transplantation (PBPCT) versus autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was performed as part of a randomised clinical trial in 129 patient (adults and children) receiving high-dosage antineoplastic therapy for non-leukaemic malignant disease. The clinical assessment criteria of the study were the duration of thrombocytopenia (< 30 x 10(9)/L and < 50 x 10(9)/L) and of granulocytopenia (< 0.5 x 10(9)/L). The cost of medical resources used was the primary economic end-point. ⋯ The global costs of PBPCT were lower than those of BMT for these adult and paediatric populations. Economic arguments can clearly be added to clinical ones in favour of substitution of autologous PBPCT for autologous BMT. International comparisons of diffusion of PBPCT could be of great interest for further economic research into medical innovation.