Abstract

Objectives

This article aimed to count and compare treatment’s direct (only biological drugs) and indirect (loss of productivity) costs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from 2019 to 2021.

Methods

The friction cost approach was used to establish indirect costs. Elasticity factor values and friction period for the Slovak Republic from 2019 to 2021 were determined. Direct drug costs were calculated based on average prices from 2019 to 2021 and the number of dispensed medication packages.

Results

The average productivity loss reached €2984.54 in 2019, €3338.46 in 2020, and €3154.01 in 2021. Total indirect costs include productivity loss and sick pay, and from 2019 to 2021 came the values of €8.4 million, €10.1 million, and €8.1 million, respectively.

Conclusions

Indirect costs were almost 2.5 to 3 times lower than the biological and targeted treatment costs.