Lifetime treatment costs of beta-thalassaemia major

Abstract

Beta-thalassaemia major is a serious genetic disorder, which results in a considerable increase in both acute and chronic morbidity, and mortality. Although beta-thalassaemia major is a rare disease affecting approximately 600 people in the UK, treatment is intensive and predictions of the costs incurred may aid health care planning. In this report, the cost to the health service of providing treatment services for beta-thalassaemia major patients, over the course of a lifetime, is calculated in order to assist resource allocation decisions. A cost model was developed, incorporating data from disparate sources. The undiscounted lifetime cost of treating a beta-thalassaemia major patient was estimated to be pound 803,002, although when the costs were discounted at a rate of 6%, the lifetime cost was reduced to pound 219,068. Within sensitivity analyses, the discounted cost ranged from approximately pound 188,000 to pound 226,000. This report may act as a guide to those involved in the planning of health care provision with regard to the resources required to treat beta-thalassaemia major patients. Such information may also be incorporated into the decision-making process for the provision of antenatal screening programmes for beta-thalassaemia major.