title: Are pharmaceuticals cost-effective? A review of the evidence.
abstract: The argument that prescription drugs are cost-effective has been made both by the pharmaceutical industry to support rising drug prices and expenditures, and by advocates of expanded drug coverage for elderly and low-income persons. A new database of 228 published cost-utility analyses sheds light on the issue. According to published data, some drugs do save money or are cost-effective, but the issue depends critically on the context in which the drug is used and the intervention with which it is compared. Cost-utility analyses funded by the drug industry tend to report more favorable results than do those funded by nonindustry sources. Cost-effectiveness analysis can help policymakers to determine whether drugs and other interventions offer value for money.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics*; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics*; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States