[Economic analysis of the prevention of anti-D immunization]

Abstract

Any prevention policy has a cost. For anti-D immunization, the main questions concern the cost of a change in the prevention policy by the health insurance fund and more globally by the society in general. Furthermore, the analysis must also examine the cost effectiveness of systematic prevention extended to all Rhesus negative women in comparison with targeted prevention or no prevention. Studies published in Great Britain, Canada, and The United States have generally concluded that the raw cost of systematic prevention is high compared with targeted prevention. On the other hand, the cost-effectiveness would favor the systematic approach. These data are difficult to apply to the French situation because health care costs are different and because of the lack of perfectly reliable epidemiological data on the frequency and consequences of severe forms of allo-immunization. Technological advances, particularly concerning genotyping of fetal Rhesus from maternal blood samples, could have an important impact on the cost factor if a systematic approach is adopted.