title: Pharmaco-economic aspects of in-vitro fertilization in Italy.
abstract: Given the higher efficacy of follitropin-beta, a new recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (r-FSH), versus urinary-FSH (u-FSH), the present study was carried out to evaluate the cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) of follitropin-beta in comparison with u-FSH in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in Italy. Clinical decision analysis techniques were used to retrospectively model the direct medical costs of women undergoing IVF treatment. Seven Italian experts were interviewed, using a semi-structured questionnaire, in order to adapt the results of all clinical trials to the Italian patterns of care. Three analyses were conducted considering the public, the private sectors and a mixture of them (currently representing the Italian situation). The estimated total cost of IVF treatments varies from 106.9 and 211.7 billion Lire (63.2 and 125.2 million US$) depending on setting and type of treatment. The average CER varies from 21.5 and 37.7 million Lire (12, 700 and 22,300 $US) in the different hypotheses considered. The incremental CER varies from 19.2 and 26.0 million Lire (11,300 and 15,400 $US) depending on setting and type of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Center of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Milan.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belisari
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Szucs
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000191:economics; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000191:economics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone