1. Introduction and Utilization of High Priced HCV Medicines across Europe; Implications for the Future
- Author
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Winnie de Bruijn, Cristina Ibáñez, Pia Frisk, Hanne Bak Pedersen, Ali Alkan, Patricia Vella Bonanno, Ljiljana Sović Brkičić, Anna Bucsics, Guillame Dedet, Jaran Eriksen, Joseph O Fadare, Jurij Fürst, Gisselle Gallego, Isabella Piassi Godói, Augusto Afonso Guerra Junior, Hakki Gürsöz, Saira Jan, Jan Jones, Saim Kerman, Roberta Joppi, Ott Laius, Newman Madzikwa, Einar Magnusson, Mojca Maticic, Vanda Markovic-Pekovic, Amos Massele, Olayinka Ogunleye, Aisling O’Leary, Jutta Piessnegger, Catherine Sermet, Steven Simoens, Celda Tiroyakgosi, Ilse Truter, Magnus Thyberg, Kristina Tomekova, Magdalene Wladysiuk, Sortiris Vandoros, Elif Hilal Vural, Corinne Zara, and Brian Godman
- Subjects
Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi ,Hepatitis C -- Treatment ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Sofosbuvir ,Cost effectiveness ,Hepatitis C virus ,demand-side measures ,Pharmaceutical biotechnology ,Disease ,Pharmacology ,medicine.disease_cause ,sofosbuvir ,Telaprevir ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Boceprevir ,introduction new medicines ,boceprevir ,medicine ,telaprevir ,Pharmacology (medical) ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Intensive care medicine ,Original Research ,cross national drug utilisation study ,business.industry ,lcsh:RM1-950 ,Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy ,Hepatitis C ,medicine.disease ,3. Good health ,lcsh:Therapeutics. Pharmacology ,Antiviral agents ,chemistry ,030211 gastroenterology & hepatology ,business ,cross national drug utilization study ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Background: Infection with the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a widespread transmittable disease with a diagnosed prevalence of 2.0%. Fortunately, it is now curable in most patients. Sales of medicines to treat HCV infection grew 2.7% per year between 2004 and 2011, enhanced by the launch of the protease inhibitors (PIs) boceprevir (BCV) and telaprevir (TVR) in addition to ribavirin and pegylated interferon (pegIFN). Costs will continue to rise with new treatments including sofosbuvir, which now include interferon free regimens. Objective: Assess the uptake of BCV and TVR across Europe from a health authority perspective to offer future guidance on dealing with new high cost medicines. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study of medicines to treat HCV (pegIFN, ribavirin, BCV and TVR) among European countries from 2008 to 2013. Utilization measured in defined daily doses (DDDs)/1000 patients/quarter (DIQs) and expenditure in Euros/DDD. Health authority activities to influence treatments categorized using the 4E methodology (Education, Engineering, Economics and Enforcement). Results: Similar uptake of BCV and TVR among European countries and regions, ranging from 0.5 DIQ in Denmark, Netherlands and Slovenia to 1.5 DIQ in Tayside and Catalonia in 2013. However, different utilization of the new PIs vs. ribavirin indicates differences in dual vs. triple therapy, which is down to factors including physician preference and genotypes. Reimbursed prices for BCV and TVR were comparable across countries. Conclusion: There was reasonable consistency in the utilization of BCV and TVR among European countries in comparison with other high priced medicines. This may reflect the social demand to limit the transmission of HCV. However, the situation is changing with new curative medicines for HCV genotype 1 (GT1) with potentially an appreciable budget impact. These concerns have resulted in different prices across countries, with their impact on budgets and patient outcomes monitored in the future to provide additional guidance, peer-reviewed
- Published
- 2016
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