Pharmacoeconomics for Dermatologists: An Introduction

Abstract

Background:

The budgets available for health care are becoming constrained and health care decision makers have increasingly begun to scrutinize cost along with efficacy, tolerability, and cost of the different treatment options for each disease state. In keeping with the above, there has been a marked increase in the number of pharmacoeconomic evaluations published in the medical literature, including dermatology journals.

Methods:

Comprehensive economic evaluations systematically consider the following: statement of question, defining relevant costs, perspective and time-horizon, synthesis of data on efficacy and effectiveness, and selection of the appropriate analytic type and framework. The conclusions should be tested through extensive sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions:

Economic evaluations are becoming more prevalent in the field of dermatology. A well-constructed analysis may be an aid to more rational therapeutic decision-making.