Cost-effectiveness thresholds : methods for setting and examples from around the world

Santos, André Soares and Guerra Júnior, Augusto Afonso and Godman, Brian and Morton, Alec and Brandão, Cristina Mariano Ruas (2018) Cost-effectiveness thresholds : methods for setting and examples from around the world. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 18 (3). pp. 277-288. ISSN 1473-7167 (https://doi.org/10.1080/14737167.2018.1443810)

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Cost-effectiveness thresholds (CETs) are used to judge if an intervention represents sufficient value for money to merit adoption in healthcare systems. The study was motivated by the Brazilian context of HTA, where meetings are being conducted to decide on the definition of a threshold. AREAS COVERED: An electronic search was conducted on Medline (via PubMed), Lilacs (via BVS) and ScienceDirect followed by a complementary search of references of included studies, Google Scholar and conference abstracts. Cost-effectiveness thresholds are usually calculated through three different approaches: the willingness-to-pay, representative of welfare economics; the precedent method, based on the value of an already funded technology; and the opportunity cost method, which links the threshold to the volume of health displaced. An explicit threshold has never been formally adopted in most places. Some countries have defined thresholds, with some flexibility to consider other factors. An implicit threshold could be determined by research of funded cases. EXPERT COMMENTARY: CETs have had an important role as a “bridging concept” between the world of academic research and the “real world” of healthcare prioritization. The definition of a cost-effectiveness threshold is paramount for the construction of a transparent and efficient Health Technology Assessment system.

ORCID iDs

Santos, André Soares, Guerra Júnior, Augusto Afonso, Godman, Brian, Morton, Alec ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3803-8517 and Brandão, Cristina Mariano Ruas;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)