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Background This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of durvalumab as a treatment option for patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from healthcare and partial societal perspectives in Vietnam.Method A lifetime partitioned survival model was used to evaluate the costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) associated with consolidation durvalumab in comparison with the standard of care alone. Local costs and utilities were incorporated into the model. In the base-case analysis, no discount was applied to the acquisition cost of durvalumab. Scenario-based, one-way and probabilistic-sensitivity analyses were conducted.Results The base-case analysis revealed that the intervention resulted in an increase of 1.38 life years or 1.08 QALYs for patients, but the intervention was not deemed cost-effective from either perspective in the base-case analysis. However, with a 70% reduction in the durvalumab acquisition cost, the intervention was observed to be cost-effective when evaluated from a healthcare perspective and when examining the undiscounted results from a partial societal standpoint.Conclusion This study provides evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of durvalumab for the treatment of inoperable stage III NSCLC in Vietnam for various scenarios. The intervention was not cost-effective at full acquisition cost, but it is important to acknowledge that cost-effectiveness arguments alone cannot solely guide decision-makers in Vietnam; other criteria, such as budget impact and ethical concerns, are crucial factors to consider in decision-making processes.

Objective This study was conducted with the objective of exploring the usage of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes and willingness of health technology assessment (HTA) and public health stakeholders to use the EQ-5D-5L instrument in healthcare decision-making processes in Vietnam.Method In this qualitative study, 11 interviews were held with key stakeholders involved in healthcare decision-making for HTA between June 2021 and June 2022. The interviewees included members of the Vietnamese pharmacoeconomic council and public-health professionals from a diverse array of regions of Vietnam. The data collection involved obtaining verbal consent, warm-up discussions and interviews conducted via Zoom, with subsequent verification by interviewees. The analysis employed a theoretical thematic approach, adopting a deductive methodology to identify and analyse underlying ideas and meanings within the empirical data.Results This study highlights the general importance and viability of HRQOL measures, and more particularly the EQ-5D-5L instrument, in healthcare decision-making in Vietnam. Challenges have been identified, including insufficient recognition, interpretation, standardisation and educational initiatives relating to HRQOL measurements. This study advocates for official training programmes on HRQOL measurements, guidelines for the application of the EQ-5D-5L and an open HRQOL database in Vietnam. Concerns regarding validity and outcome variation in HRQOL measurements underline the necessity for continuous psychometric properties assessments and regular updates to national HRQOL data in the Vietnamese context.Conclusion HRQOL outcomes are important, and Vietnamese stakeholders express a readiness to employ the EQ-5D-5L in healthcare decision-making, especially HTA. Nevertheless, HRQOL measurements, including the EQ-5D-5L, are currently inadequately used in Vietnam, and further efforts are required to improve utilisation.