BEMFOLA® CAN POTENTIALLY REDUCE DRUG WASTAGE AND ASSOCIATED COSTS OF INFERTILITY TREATMENT
Author(s)
Foxon G1, Fox G1, Mitchell P2, Pringle F3, McConnell A4, Kendrew H5, Craddy P6
1Remap Consulting, Cheshire, UK, 2Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Glasgow, UK, 3Oxford Fertility Unit, Oxford, UK, 4Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK, 5Bath Fertility Centre, Bath, UK, 6Remap Consulting, Bern, Switzerland
OBJECTIVES: Bemfola®, an EMA approved Gonal-f® biosimilar, is a recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) used for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). Bemfola® is an equally efficacious alternative to urinary derived FSH, Menopur®. One differences between these products is their delivery devices; Gonal f® is provided as a multidose pen, Menopur® in vials or multidose preparation, and Bemfola® as a fixed dose pen. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of delivery device on drug wastage and associated cost. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of Gonal-f® and Menopur® prescription and usage data from five UK infertility clinics was conducted to identify the level of wastage occurring from IVF cycles. Data collected included: number IVF cycles conducted in previous 12 months; daily dose; length of treatment; dose adjustment following ultrasound scan and FSH formulation(s) prescribed. The drug wastage for each patient was calculated and results compared to the potential Bemfola® wastage for these patients. The wastage cost was then determined using NHS list prices. RESULTS: A total of 4724 IVF cycles were incorporated into the analysis. Of the 4078 Gonal-f® cycles, overall drug wastage was 650,775IU (5.7% of total dose prescribed) equating to 160IU per patient. For the 646 Menopur® cycles the wastage was 190,163IU (11.6% of total dose prescribed) equating to 294IU per patient. Had Bemfola® been used in these patients, the wastage would have been reduced to 104IU and 61IU per patient respectively. The use of Bemfola®, across all cycles, results in a drug wastage reduction of 376,800IUs and an associated cost saving of £100,011. Extrapolating this data to the annual number of UK IVF cycles results in a potential cost saving of £1,157,579. CONCLUSIONS: Using Bemfola® as an alternative to Gonal-f® or Menopur® can potentially reduce drug wastage and associated costs to both patients and the NHS.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2015-11, ISPOR Europe 2015, Milan, Italy
Value in Health, Vol. 18, No. 7 (November 2015)
Code
PIH11
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost-comparison, Effectiveness, Utility, Benefit Analysis
Disease
Reproductive and Sexual Health