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. 2010 Sep;70(3):350-5.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2010.03617.x.

Cost-effectiveness analysis and efficient use of the pharmaceutical budget: the key role of clinical pharmacologists

Richard Edlin  1 , Jeff Round, Claire Hulme, Christopher McCabe
Affiliations

Cost-effectiveness analysis and efficient use of the pharmaceutical budget: the key role of clinical pharmacologists

Richard Edlin et al. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Sep.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide information about cost-effectiveness analysis and the roles of clinical pharmacologists generally in providing efficient health care. The paper highlights the potential consequences of 'off-label prescribing' and 'indication creep' behaviour given slower growth (or potential cuts) in the NHS budget. This paper highlights the key roles of clinical pharmacologists in delivering an efficient health care system when resources are allocated using cost-effectiveness analyses. It describes what cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is and how incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) are used to identify efficient options. After outlining the theoretical framework within which using CEA can promote the efficient allocation of the health care budget, it considers the place of disinvestment within achieving efficient resource allocation. Clinical pharmacologists are argued to be critical to providing improved population health under CEA-based resource allocation processes because of their roles in implementation and disinvestment. Given that the challenges facing the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) are likely to increase, this paper sets out the stark choices facing clinical pharmacologists.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cost-effectiveness across currently funded (1–5) and unfunded (6–9) health technologies
Figure 3
Figure 3
Efficiency gains following decisions to disinvest (4–5) and invest (6–7) within a fixed budget
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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