OBJECTIVES

: Considering the evolution of health technology assessment (HTA) in Asia in recent years, this research aimed to explore the rate of pharmacoeconomic publications in Japan, Singapore and China since 2000, including the types of economic analyses conducted and disease areas covered.

METHODS

: A pragmatic literature review was conducted in MEDLINE Epub-Ahead-of-Print, MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process and Embase from 1^st January 2000 to 15^th February 2018. Publications of cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, budget impact, or cost-benefit analyses on pharmaceuticals in Japan, Singapore, or China were included. Studies on screening, vaccinations, or devices were excluded. Screening was undertaken in two stages by one reviewer, with input from a second reviewer for uncertainties. Country, year of publication, type of economic analysis, and disease area were extracted.

RESULTS

: CONCLUSIONS

: The publication of pharmacoeconomic analyses has increased considerably in Japan, China, and Singapore since 2000. Together with the finding that cost-utility analyses are the most frequently published pharmacoeconomic analyses across all three countries, the results of this research are promising given the value of local pharmacoeconomic analyses as HTA systems develop in these countries. Further analyses are required to assess publication reporting quality against published guidelines such as the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist.