GLOBAL ECONOMIC BURDEN AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPLICATIONS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN ALGERIA: A SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE AND MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS
Author(s)
Mustapha Chelghoum, PharmD, PhD1, Naima Oudrer, Prof2.
1Professor Hospital pharmacist, University hospital, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria, 2University Dillali Liabes of Sidi Bel Abbes, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria.
1Professor Hospital pharmacist, University hospital, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria, 2University Dillali Liabes of Sidi Bel Abbes, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria.
OBJECTIVES: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a significant economic burden worldwide; however, organized pharmacoeconomic data from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are limited. This study aimed to estimate the global economic burden of MS in Algeria from a societal perspective and to describe the specific economic impacts of clinical relapses and tiers of therapeutic escalation.
METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional cost-of-illness study was conducted at a university hospital in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria . A bottom-up micro-costing framework captured direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs (productivity losses) over a 12-month period. Health-related quality of life was psychometrically evaluated using the EQ-5D-5L instrument mapped onto the Morocco value set, and inverted into a total disutility score. Independent economic determinants were identified using Generalized Linear Models.
RESULTS: The average annual societal cost of MS globally was $14,932.12 per patient. Direct medical expenditures accounted for most of this burden ($13,339.96 on average) with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) accounting for $11,988.16 (80.3%). Average health state utility index was 0.6849, with functional deficits being largely due to pain/discomfort and mobility dimensions. Multivariate modelling adjusting for covariates showed that clinical relapses independently generated a significant annual incremental cost of +$4,047.85 (p < 0.001). The leap to second-line biologic therapies was associated with a large independent increase in costs of +$7,699.11 (p<0.001) compared to first-line entry options. Moreover, the use of a macroeconomic GDP per capita proxy to value hidden productivity losses increased estimated indirect costs fourfold to $4,317.21.
CONCLUSIONS: Multiple Sclerosis presents an important financial issue in Algeria, mostly due to the acquisition prices of very effective disease-modifying therapies. Proactively minimizing acute clinical relapses is crucial for reducing indirect expenses among active employees. These findings highlight the critical necessity for localized cost-effectiveness assessments to enhance the allocation of healthcare resources.
METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional cost-of-illness study was conducted at a university hospital in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria . A bottom-up micro-costing framework captured direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs (productivity losses) over a 12-month period. Health-related quality of life was psychometrically evaluated using the EQ-5D-5L instrument mapped onto the Morocco value set, and inverted into a total disutility score. Independent economic determinants were identified using Generalized Linear Models.
RESULTS: The average annual societal cost of MS globally was $14,932.12 per patient. Direct medical expenditures accounted for most of this burden ($13,339.96 on average) with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) accounting for $11,988.16 (80.3%). Average health state utility index was 0.6849, with functional deficits being largely due to pain/discomfort and mobility dimensions. Multivariate modelling adjusting for covariates showed that clinical relapses independently generated a significant annual incremental cost of +$4,047.85 (p < 0.001). The leap to second-line biologic therapies was associated with a large independent increase in costs of +$7,699.11 (p<0.001) compared to first-line entry options. Moreover, the use of a macroeconomic GDP per capita proxy to value hidden productivity losses increased estimated indirect costs fourfold to $4,317.21.
CONCLUSIONS: Multiple Sclerosis presents an important financial issue in Algeria, mostly due to the acquisition prices of very effective disease-modifying therapies. Proactively minimizing acute clinical relapses is crucial for reducing indirect expenses among active employees. These findings highlight the critical necessity for localized cost-effectiveness assessments to enhance the allocation of healthcare resources.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EE62
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
Neurological Disorders