title: Pharmacoeconomic considerations in the health system management of anaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease.
abstract: Anaemia is prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease. If left untreated, it greatly affects patient survival, quality of life and functional status. Epoetin and darbepoetin are two biotechnology drugs that effectively stimulate the production of red blood cells. These drugs have been shown to significantly increase haemoglobin concentrations and improve quality of life. So far, there have been no head-to-head pharmacoeconomic studies that have compared epoetin to darbepoetin. Health system decision makers need to evaluate important considerations when comparing these agents. These considerations include drug acquisition costs, the patient population being treated, the location of drug administration (in-patient versus ambulatory) and federal government reimbursement. This review details these important pharmacoeconomic considerations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy, Richmond, Virginia 23298 0533, USA. dbrophy@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Donald F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Brophy
authors.forename: Elizabeth B D
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Ripley
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Holdford
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006397:Hematinics / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D004921:Erythropoietin