Cost effectiveness of asthma treatment with a breath-actuated inhaler: how has the story changed?

OBJECTIVES

A database analysis evaluating the comparative costs and outcomes of asthma treatment with breath-actuated inhalers (BAIs) and metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) has previously been undertaken in 2001. This analysis found that, despite the higher acquisition cost associated with BAIs, economies elsewhere meant that the overall cost associated with BAIs was lower than MDIs. Between 2001 and 2007, the comparative price of MDIs was significantly reduced thus widening the gap between the comparative acquisition cost of MDIs and BAIs. Furthermore, the introduction of specific targets for asthma review included a requirement for regular checks on inhaler technique. Such initiatives may be expected to enhance the overall effectiveness of MDIs. Given the potential impact of such changes, it appeared to be timely to update the original database analysis to assess the extent to which the original findings have been altered by changes in the clinical and economic environment over the past 5 years.

METHODS

As in all chronic diseases, it is important that economic analyses evaluate cost effectiveness over as long a period as possible, and so the 2006 analysis was conducted over a 12- and a 24-month time period.

RESULTS

The results emphasised that the clinical benefits associated with BAIs for certain patients can still be translated into greater cost effectiveness, but that altered cost structures required a longer time period for the greater cost effectiveness of BAIs to become evident.

CONCLUSION

Since completing this study, the reimbursement costs for beclometasone MDIs have increased significantly (since October 2007) due to the discontinuation of Becotide and Becloforte. As a consequence of this higher acquisition cost for MDI inhalers, the current cost-effectiveness advantages of BAI compared to MDI can be expected to be even greater than that identified in the study.