OBJECTIVES: Health economic information is needed to promote pharmacist-led intervention in Japan. A literature review was conducted to identify methods of cost-effectiveness analyses including data sources, populations, interventions, and outcomes.

METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed with search terms of drug utilization review, medication therapy management, medication review, economic evaluation, costs and cost analysis, and cost effectiveness. References of literatures and review articles were also screened for potentially relevant studies.

RESULTS: Hundred twenty eight articles were identified through database search. Adding 3 articles from the review articles, 8 articles with full economic evaluations were finally selected for the further evaluation. Data were obtained mainly from randomized control studies evaluating various medication review programs across counties. 6 studies used cost-utility analyses and 2 others used cost-consequence analyses even though clinical and humanistic outcomes were measured.

CONCLUSIONS: Full economic evaluations were still limited for evaluating pharmacist-led intervention programs. Including measurements of humanistic and economic outcomes in prospective clinical studies are key factors to evaluate how medication reviews would be useful and cost-effective in order to control potential problems due to polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use .