OBJECTIVES:

The evidence suggests that paracetamol/ibuprofen combinations as an intravenous formulation can be offered as an alternative to other analgesics for the short-term management of mild to moderate acute pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of the introduction of this combination analgesic from the National Health Service (NHS) perspective in Italy.

METHODS:

A budget impact model was developed to assess the economic impact of a fixed-dose combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen to manage mild to moderate acute pain in adults over 18 years. The model was developed following the guidelines suggested by the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research (ISPOR). The base-case scenario (world without) considered the current distribution of patients among the analgesics available in Italy and an alternative scenario considered the introduction of a single combination of paracetamol/ibuprofen. A time horizon of 3 years was considered. The analysis considered drug cost and the cost associated with the management of adverse events related to each analgesic and NHS perspective was considered.

RESULTS:

Overall, 5 million eligible patients were estimated in Italy for the treatment of mild or moderate acute pain. The total yearly cost for these patients accounts for € 368 million (80% related to adverse events). The introduction of a combination analgesic could generate a cumulative reduction in the expenditure of about € 0.93, € 3.1 and € 5.7 million in the first, second and third years respectively since its introduction.

CONCLUSIONS:

This analysis considered the effect of simplifying the administration of combined analgesics and demonstrated the ability to obtain economic advantages due to drug innovation.