Cost-effectiveness in diagnostic radiology: how can contrast media manufacturers contribute?

In recent years, awareness of the limitations of health care resources has increased within pharmaceutical companies. Indeed, it is believed that if cost-effectiveness in radiology in not improved, patients will suffer from limited access to the latest and best technologies. In addition, we must all shoulder part of the responsibility to close the gap between the diagnostic opportunities for patients in highly industrialized countries and those in countries under more difficult economic conditions by offering achievable diagnostic solutions. To achieve these goals, we must first realize that the long-term effect of necessary short-term cost containment will be limited if focus on and investment in better education, information systems, and innovation are not maintained. Second, for any new contrast medium, improvement in diagnostic efficacy and quality must be demonstrated. The third step is based on an editorial statement by Hillman [5] in a recent issue of Radiology. He wrote that health insurance data bases are often too coarse to be really meaningful for evaluations of the cost of imaging and that validation of the value of diagnostic imaging requires that researchers show benefits related to improvements in quality of life. Manufacturers of contrast media could support future research approaches with this objective. Experience in the industry shows that the best long-term measure for reducing costs is to focus on investment in improved effectiveness through innovation.