title: [Cost effectiveness of biologicals: high costs are the other face of success].
abstract: Where health care is concerned, the introduction of biologicals has greatly improved the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders. This class of drugs is not only noticeably effective, but is also well tolerated. The cost effectiveness of these drugs means that there are limits to their use. This is the other face of success. The Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport recently announced measures intended to limit the growth of costs while at the same time requiring that savings should be made on the current budget. Recently the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) produced a report on the effects and costs of biologicals for adults with rheumatoid arthritis (www.cadth.ca). Here we discuss their findings. Organizations for medical specialists should be societal aware and be able to deal with these drugs in a cost-conscious manner, including the development of dynamic guidelines and quality visitations.
authors.affiliation: Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, afd. Reumatologie & Klinische immunologie, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paco M J
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Welsing
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bijl
authors.forename: Ad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: van Bodegraven
authors.forename: Willem F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Lems
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prens
authors.forename: J W J Hans
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bijlsma
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D009426:Netherlands
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001688:Biological Products