An adverse events potential costs analysis based on Drug Programs in Poland. Dermatology focus

Abstract

The aim of the project, carried out within the Polish Society for Pharmacoeconomics (PTFE), was to estimate the potential costs of treatment of the side effects which (theoretically) may occur as a result of treatments for the selected diseases. This paper deals solely with dermatology related events. Herein, several Drug Programs financed by the National Health Fund in Poland, in 2012, were analyzed. The adverse events were selected based on the Summary of Product Characteristics of the chosen products. We focused the project on those potential adverse events which were defined in SPC as frequent and very frequent. The results are presented according to their therapeutic areas, and in this paper, the focus is upon that which is related to dermatology. The events described as ‘very common’ had an incidence of ≥ 1/10, and that which is ‘common’ - ≥ 1/100, <1 /10. In order to identify the resources used, we, with the engagement of clinical experts, performed a survey. In our work, we employed only the total direct costs incurred by the public payer, based on valid individual cost data in February 2014. Moreover, we calculated the total spending from the public payer’s perspective, as well as the patient’s perspective, and the percentage of each component of the total cost in detail. The paper, thus, informs the reader of the estimated costs of treatment of side effects related to the dermatologic symptoms and reactions. Based on our work, we can state that the treatment of skin adverse drug reactions generates a significant cost - one incurred by both the public payer and the patient.