OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify existing model-based studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of treatments for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and examine the modeling approach adopted.

METHODS: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and the bibliographies of extracted references were searched to identify English language full-text publications between April 1973 and February 2018. Eligible studies described a health economic model with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios or quality-adjusted life-years as outcome measures. Specific information on the decision-analytic models, including the modeling approach, perspective, population studied, interventions and data sources were extracted from each article.

RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: The models identified typically had simple frameworks. Many projected disease progression from short-term clinical trial data alone and did not leverage real world observational data now available with longer longitudinal follow-up. Clinical efficacy was often applied by affecting only the initial distribution across health states, which likely does not fully capture the benefits of a treatment. Future studies should explore developing individual patient simulations to be able to more realistically represent the heterogeneity observed in the clinical manifestations and progression rates of the disease, as well as capture the potential benefits and risks of symptomatic or disease modifying treatments.