Combined antiviral treatment in HIV infection. Is it value for money?
There is compelling evidence that combinations of antiretroviral drugs are significantly more effective than monotherapy and appear, at least in the short run, to offset problems caused by the rapid emergence of drug resistance which is characteristic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.1,2 The routine prescribing of combination antiretroviral therapy appears to have contributed to a fall in HIV-related in-patient admissions, mortality and morbidity, with a concomitant increase in pharmacy costs. In this paper we have attempted to determine to what extent the reduction in direct hospital costs (reduced in-patient admissions, diagnostic tests and management of complications) will offset the considerably increased pharmacy costs; by using Markhov modelling procedures together with locally gathered costs data.
Davies
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D
Anglia Clinical Audit and Effectiveness Team (ACET), Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK.
Carne
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C
Camilleri-Ferrante
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C
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D015497:HIV-1; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D008390:Markov Chains; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents