COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF SCREENING FOR COLORECTAL CANCER IN ARGENTINA
Author(s)
Maceira D, Espinola N, Palacios A
Center for the Study of State and Society (CEDES), Buenos Aires, Argentina
OBJECTIVES: The study –implemented after requirement of the National Cancer Institute (INC) - shows the results of a cost-effectiveness evaluation based on two alternative mechanisms: annual faecal immunochemical testing (FIT), and colonoscopy every ten years in Argentina. METHODS: The study develops a Markov model in ten stages, based on information provided by the INC, prior literature review and on-line questionnaires to physicians enrolled in the four major scientific societies related to cancer. Cost information arrived from the National Superintendence of Social Health Insurances and a sample of managers in social and private insurance schemes. RESULTS: The estimated model suggests that FIT annually applied becomes the most cost-effective screening method for CRC, in comparison with both no intervention and just colonoscopy. The incremental cost-effectiveness for annual FIT screening is USD 220.- per quality- adjusted life years (QUALY) against no-intervention, and the cost-effectiveness ratio is low and acceptable considering the WHO criteria (per capita GDP), in comparison to the cost-effectiveness ratios of other cardio-vascular preventive interventions prices in Argentina. CONCLUSIONS: Results of cost-effectiveness analyses are often strong associated to disbursements related to specific performance indicators, such as the challenges of implementing such initiatives under budget constraints and/or availability and quality of equipments and human resources. These aspects were considered in the implementation of different scenarios in the sensitivity analysis, which includes adherence to treatments and capacity of accurate diagnoses, providing strength to the output reached in the research.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2015-11, ISPOR Europe 2015, Milan, Italy
Value in Health, Vol. 18, No. 7 (November 2015)
Code
PMD73
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost-comparison, Effectiveness, Utility, Benefit Analysis
Disease
Oncology