Methods and Biostatistics in Oncology pp 257-266 | Cite as
Cost-Effectiveness Studies in Oncology
Abstract
The number of new drugs approved for cancer treatment is increasing every year. Several factors, such as development costs and commercial issues, make the price of new drugs higher than the price of previously launched drugs. Moreover, expenses in cancer treatment have increased more than inflation and household incomes. Consequently, there is a risk of cancer treatment becoming unsustainable in society. Therefore, cost-effectiveness analyses are very important to help physicians and policy makers to choose the best treatment for the individual who will benefit most. Economic studies involve a comparison of the costs and benefits of alternative treatment options. Cost-effectiveness studies must include a clear specification of the research question. In addition, cost-effectiveness studies must be transparent and reproducible. Physicians need to be able to understand and critically assess the quality of a pharmacoeconomic study. In this review, we will discuss how the cost of cancer care can be studied and how the data can be applied in oncology to guide health policy decisions.
Keywords
Cost-effectiveness Pharmacoeconomics Health technology assessmentReferences
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