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Purpose: : A number of strategies have aimed to assist countries in procuring antiretroviral therapy (ARV) at lower prices. In 2009, as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) commenced a voluntary pooled procurement scheme, however, the impact of the scheme on ARV prices remains uncertain. This study aims to estimate the effect of VPP on drug prices using Efavirenz as a case study.Methods: This analysis uses WHO Global price report mechanism (GPRM) data from 2004 to 2013. Due to the highly skewed distribution of drug Prices, a generalized linear model (GLM) was used to conduct a difference-in-difference estimation of drug price changes over time.Results: These analyses found that voluntary pooled procurement reduced both the ex-works price of generic Efavirenz and the incoterms price by 16.2 and 19.1%, respectively ( P <  0.001) in both cases). The year dummies were also statistically significant from 2006 to 2013 ( P <  0.001), indicating a strong decreasing trend in the price of Efavirenz over that period.Conclusion: Voluntary pooled procurement significantly reduced the price of 600 mg generic Efavirenz between 2009 and 2013. Voluntary pooled procurement therefore offers a potentially effective strategy for the reduction in HIV drug prices and the improvement of technical efficiency in HIV programming. Further work is required to establish if these findings hold also for other drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in developing countries is cost-limited. Our primary goal was to determine the cost structure for the HSCT program model developed over the last decade at our public university hospital and to assess its clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods. Adults and children receiving an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant from January 2010 to February 2011 at our hematology regional reference center were included. Laboratory tests, medical procedures, chemotherapy drugs, other drugs, and hospitalization costs were scrutinized to calculate the total cost for each patient and the median cost for the procedure. Data regarding clinical evolution were incorporated into the analysis. Physician fees are not charged at the institution and therefore were not included. Results. Fifty patients were evaluated over a 1-year period. The total estimated cost for an allogeneic HSCT was $12,504. The two most expensive diseases to allograft were non-Hodgkin lymphoma ($11,760 ± $2,236) for the malignant group and thalassemia ($12,915 ± $5,170) for the nonmalignant group. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia ($11,053 ± 2,817) and acute myeloblastic leukemia ($10,251 ± $1,538) were the most frequent indications for HSCT, with 11 cases each. Median out-of-pocket expenses were $1,605, and 1-year follow-up costs amounted to $1,640, adding up to a total cost of $15,749 for the first year. The most expensive components were drugs and laboratory tests. Conclusion. Applying the cost structure described, HSCT is an affordable option for hematological patients living in a developing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the short- and long-term efficacy and safety of 8-weekly canakinumab therapy in children with cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) in routine clinical practice.Methods. A single-centre observational study was performed. Patients were assessed every 8 weeks at a dedicated clinic. Standardized assessments were the 10-domains DAS for CAPS, acute phase reactants (APRs), physician’s global assessment of disease activity, Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form 28 (CHQPF-28). The primary endpoint was clinical improvement, defined as a reduction of DAS score 8 weeks after commencing therapy. Secondary endpoints included sustained clinical improvement in APRs, relapses, CHAQ score and CHQPF-28 score.Results. Ten children with CAPS [eight Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), two chronic infantile cutaneous neurological articular (CINCA); median age 6.3 years] received 8-weekly canakinumab treatments at 2–8.7 mg/kg for a median of 21 months (range 12–31 months). Nine of 10 patients improved after the first dose: baseline median DAS of 7.5/20 decreased to 3.5/20 at 8 weeks (P = 0.04). This clinical improvement was sustained at a median follow-up of 21 months (range 12–31 months). Children with CINCA required higher doses of canakinumab than those with MWS. CHAQ and CHQ scores indicated improvement in functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Treatment was well tolerated, with no injection site reactions and no serious infections.Conclusion. Canakinumab, although costly, is a safe and effective treatment for CAPS in children, leading to sustained improvement in disease activity, serological markers, functional ability and HRQoL. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective. To examine the clinical characteristics and financial charges associated with treating adult cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in outpatient clinics who presented to the emergency department (ED) with neutropenia. Design and Setting. A retrospective audit was conducted across two health services involving ED episodes and subsequent hospital admissions of patients who received chemotherapy through day oncology from January 1 to December 31, 2007 and presented to the ED with neutropenia. ED data were collected from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset and charges were collected from Health Information Services. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to describe the patient and clinical characteristics and financial outcomes, and to explore associations between these factors. Results. In total, 200 neutropenic episodes in 159 outpatients were seen in the ED over the survey period. The mean patient age was 56.6 years (standard deviation, 13.2 years) and 47.2% were male. Overall, 70.0% of ED episodes were triaged as Australasian Triage Scale 2 (emergency). The median ED wait time was 10 minutes and the median ED length of stay was 6.8 hours. The median charge for each ED episode was $764.08 Australian dollars. The total combined ED and inpatient charge per episode was in the range of $144.27-$174,732.68, with a median charge of $5,640.87. Conclusions. This study provides important insights into the clinical and economic burden of neutropenia from both the ED and inpatient perspectives. Alternative treatment models, such as outpatient treatment, early discharge programs or prophylactic interventions to reduce the clinical and economic burden of neutropenia on our health system, must be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To characterize the impact of etanercept (ETN) in AS on cost, work productivity and quality of life (QoL).Methods. A Phase 4, open-label, multi-centre (UK, Scandinavia) extension study in AS. Eligible subjects (n = 84) were treated for 36–52 weeks with ETN 50 mg s.c. once weekly. Analysis included direct costs (transformed out-patient and in-patient care elements), indirect costs (sick leave and lost working days), efficacy and QoL.Results. Annualized direct and indirect costs decreased (55.5%, P &leq; 0.008) during ETN treatment, as did out-patient and in-patient episodes (physiotherapist/physician visits, P = 0.012). Work productivity and QoL increased.Conclusion. ETN therapy significantly reduces direct and indirect health-care costs and increases work ability and QoL in AS.Trial Registration. EUDRACT, https://eudract.ema.europa.eu/, 2006-001061-42. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the effect of maximal sterile barriers (MSBs) on reducing central venous catheter (CVC)-related infections. Use of MSBs when placing CVCs may reduce the risk of infections but is more cumbersome, time-consuming, and expensive than other techniques. Methods. We developed a decision analytic model in which a patient could have a CVC placed with either an MSB or a less stringent technique. We calculated total direct medical costs and the incidences of catheterrelated bloodstream infections, catheter colonization, and death. Results. Use of MSBs lowered costs (from $621 to $369 per catheter insertion) and decreased the incidences of catheter-related bloodstream infections (from 5.3% to 2.8%), catheter colonization with local infection (from 5.5% to 2.9%) and death (from 0.8% to 0.4%). MSBs improved patient safety throughout all sensitivity analyses. Conclusions. Use of MSBs during CVC insertion likely lowers medical costs and decreases the incidences of catheter colonization, catheter-related bloodstream infections, and death. Cost savings were found over a wide range of clinical and economic assumptions, suggesting that MSBs should be routinely used when CVCs are inserted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the economic benefits of misoprostol in the prophylaxis of gastric ulcers larger than 0.3 cm in patients with osteoarthritis receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Independent epidemiological data were obtained for patients in Scotland and the West Midlands. Co-diagnosis of arthritis with gastric ulcer recorded in the routine data was substantially less (4% Scotland, 10% West Midlands) than the 21% found at case review. These data were combined with cost and patient management data in a decision analysis model to explore whether prophylactic use of misoprostol altered substantially the average cost of managing gastric ulcer. Using conservative assumptions and a daily dose of 400 micrograms, cost savings per patient to the National Health Service of 5-8 pounds over a 3-month period are expected in the groups of patients studied, while at the 800 micrograms dose there would be a net cost of 23-25 pounds. Sensitivity analysis showed that under many assumptions misoprostol is expected to be cost saving or cost neutral. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OBJECTIVES In efforts to obtain complete results, current practice in surgical lung biopsy (LB) for interstitial lung disease (ILD) recommends sending lung tissue samples for bacterial, mycobacterial, fungal, and viral cultures. This study assesses the value of this practice by evaluating the microbiology findings obtained from LB for ILD and their associated costs. METHODS A total of 296 consecutive patients (140 women, 156 men, median age = 61 years) underwent LB for ILD from 2002 to 2009. All had lung tissue sent for microbiology examination. Microbiology results and resultant changes in patient management were analyzed retrospectively. A cost analysis was performed based upon nominal hospital charges adjusted on current inflation rates. Cost data included cultures, stains, smears, direct fluorescent antibody studies, and microbiologist consulting fees. RESULTS As many as 25 patients (8.4%) underwent open LB and 271 (91.6%) underwent thoracoscopic LB. A total of 592 specimens were assessed (range 1–4 per patient). The most common pathologic diagnoses were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 122 (41.2%), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia in 31 (10.5%), and respiratory bronchiolitis ILD in 16 (5.4%). Microbiology testing was negative in 174 patients (58.8%). A total of 118 of 122 (96.7%) positive results were clinically considered to be contaminants and resulted in no change in clinical management. The most common contaminants were Propionibacterium acnes (38 patients; 31%) and Penicillium fungus (16 patients; 13%). In only four patients (1.4%), the organism cultured (Nocardia one, Histoplasma one, and Aspergillus fumigatus two) resulted in a change in clinical management. The cost of microbiology studies per specimen was $984 (€709), with a total cost for the study cohort being $582 000 (€420 000). CONCLUSIONS The yield and impact on clinical management of microbiology specimens from LB for ILD is very low. Its routine use in LB is questionable. We suggest it should be limited to those cases of ILD with a high suspicion of infection. Substantial cost savings are possible with this change in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]