The American journal of managed care
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Cost-effectiveness analyses compare the value of different treatment strategies, given that one strategy is more effective but also more costly than the other. The results are often used as a pharmacoeconomic basis to support a particular treatment strategy. ⋯ Most published cost-effectiveness analyses regarding antiviral treatment of hepatitis B or hepatitis C reported favorable results. These results may suggest that researchers only attempt cost-effectiveness studies when there is a high likelihood of positive results. Regardless of the explicit cause of the bias, more awareness and scrutiny are needed when utilizing cost-effectiveness studies in decision making.
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Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. However, HCV infection is challenging to treat, because it is underdiagnosed and undertreated. ⋯ Because the economic burden of HCV extends beyond treatment costs, clinicians, patients, and managed care professionals must understand the cost-effectiveness of HCV treatment. Improvements in adherence and the delivery of effective care can promote costeffective management due to reductions in long-term disease-related complications, such as hospitalization, liver transplantation, and death.
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Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be very costly. Cost-effectiveness studies provide insight into the value of treatment from a number of perspectives (eg, societal, healthcare). In most cases, the indirect costs of RA can offset the direct costs in 2 ways. ⋯ Despite the effectiveness of new therapies, there are a number of barriers to optimal treatment. Barriers include lack of education for patients and practitioners about RA, poor patient-provider communication, uncertainty regarding which treatments to choose, cost, and lack of adherence. Specialty pharmacy and disease therapy management programs can assist patients by providing structure, education, and mechanisms to improve treatment adherence and persistence to optimize therapy.