Aim: To compare treatment costs with alternative luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist preparations and determine whether a leuprorelin solid implant is associated with potential cost savings.
Patients & Methods: A hypothetical population of 1000 prostate cancer patients was apportioned between the three most commonly prescribed luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist preparations. Differentiated annual costs for 1- and 3-monthly formulations were calculated for France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK (EU5) and Sweden, and compared with the leuprorelin solid implant.
Results: Compared with alternative formulations, leuprorelin solid implants had potential annual cost savings/1000 patients of €562,000 (EU5) and €813,000 (Sweden) (1-month formulations) and €510,000 (EU5) and €365,000 (Sweden) (3-month formulations).
Conclusion: The leuprorelin solid implant was associated with potential cost savings compared with the most commonly used luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist preparations.
Written by:
Merseburger AS, Björk T, Whitehouse J, Meani D. Are you the author?
Department of Urology & Urologic Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Reference: J Comp Eff Res. 2014 Dec 18:1-7.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25521079