Objectives: To evaluate the budget impact of the introduction of Empagliflozin in the Argentine Healthcare System, within the therapeutic scheme of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) with two hypoglycaemic drugs.

Methods: This budget impact analysis considers the replacement of a proportion of patients treated with any iDPP4 by Empagliflozin during a 5-year horizon (2021-2025). An Argentine healthcare payer perspective was considered, including only direct costs. Population included: adults with T2D diagnosis treated with oral hypoglycaemic drugs. This budget impact study considers the introduction of Empagliflozin as a treatment of T2D, considering two scenarios: 1) usual actual treatment and increasing Empagliflozin use in partial replacement of iDPP4. The population eligible for treatment with oral hypoglycaemic medicinal products (FHO) that do not meet metabolic control targets (HbA1C < 7%) is estimated to be 551,050 by 2021 and 588,608 by the last year of study (2025). Growth responds to the population vegetative growth projected for the adult population (over 18 years), prevalence rates by age groups (National Survey of Risk Factors - 2013) were assumed to remain unchanged during the analysis period.

Results:

Incorporating Empagliflozin as a treatment of T2D in Argentina yields to USD 4.2 million savings in the first year compared to the actual usual treatment scenario. After the five-year period under analysis, cumulative budgetary savings account for USD 21.7 million.

Conclusions: The use of Empagliflozin as an oral hypoglycaemic agent in patients with T2D, with two oral hypoglycaemic agents, is convenient from an economic perspective when compared to iDPP4 for the overall Argentine healthcare system, mainly associated to the reduction of cardiovascular and renal events.