title: Economic evaluation of a 100% whey-based partially hydrolyzed infant formula in the prevention of atopic dermatitis among Swiss children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A pharmacoeconomic analysis was undertaken to determine costs, consequences, and cost-effectiveness of a partially hydrolyzed 100% whey-based infant formula, NAN-HA®, manufactured by Nestlé S.A, Switzerland (PHF-W), branded under BEBA HA® in Switzerland, in the prevention of atopic dermatitis (AD) in 'at risk' Swiss children when compared to standard cow's milk formula (SF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on a 12-month time horizon including 6 months of formula consumption, an economic model was developed synthesizing treatment pathways, resource utilization, and costs associated with the treatment of AD in healthy 'at risk' Swiss newborns who could not be exclusively breastfed. Model inputs were retrieved from the literature, official formularies, and expert opinion. The treatment pathways considered a medical treatment approach, supplemented in some instances by a change of formula. The final outcome was the expected cost per avoided case of AD, yielding an incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) for PHF-W vs SF. Outcomes were presented from three perspectives: the Swiss public healthcare system (MOH), the subject's family, and society (SOC). A secondary analysis compared PHF-W to whey-based extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF) in prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model yielded 1653 avoided AD cases by selecting PHF-W over SF in a birth cohort of 22,933 'at risk' infants. The base case analyses generated an expected ICER of CHF 982 from the MOH perspective as well as savings of CHF 2202 and CHF 1220 from the family and SOC perspectives, respectively. PHF-W yielded CHF 11.4M savings against EHF when the latter was assumed to be used in prevention. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Under a range of assumptions, this analysis has established the dominance from the family and societal perspectives and cost-effectiveness from the MOH perspective of PHF-W vs SF in the prevention of AD among 'at risk' Swiss infants.
authors.affiliation: PharmIdeas Research and Consulting Inc., Oakville, ON, Canada, PharmIdeas Europe SAS, Lyon, France, and Université de Montréal , Montréal, QC, Canada. miskedjian@pharmideas.com
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iskedjian
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belli
authors.forename: Bechara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Detzel
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry / Q000191:economics*; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity; D008894:Milk Proteins; D018803:Models, Economic; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013557:Switzerland; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins