Biomaterial Database

Regulatory demands for cost-benefit studies. 1990

W J Louis

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.

In 1987 to 1988 there was a significant increase in drug costs in Australia. This was largely the result of the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors into clinical practice. In this article the implications of escalating drug costs are examined. The impact of revolutionary new drugs is considered, and it is questioned whether even a relatively wealthy country, such as Australia, can afford the high costs of these new agents. The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is discussed, and modification of this into a two-tier system is proposed. A two-tier system could preserve the present list and the essential elements of the current scheme but would introduce a second list of new drugs for which a premium would be charged. Such a system could recoup costs generated by new drugs and also restrict overprescribing but may limit the prescription of new drugs to less well-off persons. The article concludes by considering the total health care budget, taking into account the relative cost-benefit expenditures of hospital care and drug therapy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007356	Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services	Insurance providing for payment of services rendered by the pharmacist. Services include the preparation and distribution of medical products.	Drug Benefit Plans,Drug Insurance,Prescription Insurance,Insurance, Pharmaceutic Services,Insurance, Pharmacy Services,Pharmaceutic Services Insurance,Pharmaceutical Services Insurance,Pharmacy Services Insurance,Drug Benefit Plan,Insurance, Drug,Insurance, Prescription,Plan, Drug Benefit,Plans, Drug Benefit
D002017	Budgets	Detailed financial plans for carrying out specific activities for a certain period of time. They include proposed income and expenditures.	Budgetary Control,Budget,Budgetary Controls,Control, Budgetary,Controls, Budgetary
D003362	Cost-Benefit Analysis	A method of comparing the cost of a program with its expected benefits in dollars (or other currency). The benefit-to-cost ratio is a measure of total return expected per unit of money spent. This analysis generally excludes consideration of factors that are not measured ultimately in economic terms. In contrast a cost effectiveness in general compares cost with qualitative outcomes.	Cost and Benefit,Cost-Benefit Data,Benefits and Costs,Cost Benefit,Cost Benefit Analysis,Cost-Utility Analysis,Costs and Benefits,Economic Evaluation,Marginal Analysis,Analyses, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Utility,Analysis, Marginal,Benefit and Cost,Cost Benefit Analyses,Cost Benefit Data,Cost Utility Analysis,Cost-Benefit Analyses,Cost-Utility Analyses,Data, Cost-Benefit,Economic Evaluations,Evaluation, Economic,Marginal Analyses
D003365	Costs and Cost Analysis	Absolute, comparative, or differential costs pertaining to services, institutions, resources, etc., or the analysis and study of these costs.	Affordability,Analysis, Cost,Cost,Cost Analysis,Cost Comparison,Cost Measures,Cost-Minimization Analysis,Costs and Cost Analyses,Costs, Cost Analysis,Pricing,Affordabilities,Analyses, Cost,Analyses, Cost-Minimization,Analysis, Cost-Minimization,Comparison, Cost,Comparisons, Cost,Cost Analyses,Cost Comparisons,Cost Measure,Cost Minimization Analysis,Cost, Cost Analysis,Cost-Minimization Analyses,Costs,Measure, Cost,Measures, Cost
D003695	Delivery of Health Care	The concept concerned with all aspects of providing and distributing health services to a patient population.	Delivery of Dental Care,Health Care,Health Care Delivery,Health Care Systems,Community-Based Distribution,Contraceptive Distribution,Delivery of Healthcare,Dental Care Delivery,Distribution, Non-Clinical,Distribution, Nonclinical,Distributional Activities,Healthcare,Healthcare Delivery,Healthcare Systems,Non-Clinical Distribution,Nonclinical Distribution,Activities, Distributional,Activity, Distributional,Care, Health,Community Based Distribution,Community-Based Distributions,Contraceptive Distributions,Deliveries, Healthcare,Delivery, Dental Care,Delivery, Health Care,Delivery, Healthcare,Distribution, Community-Based,Distribution, Contraceptive,Distribution, Non Clinical,Distributional Activity,Distributions, Community-Based,Distributions, Contraceptive,Distributions, Non-Clinical,Distributions, Nonclinical,Health Care System,Healthcare Deliveries,Healthcare System,Non Clinical Distribution,Non-Clinical Distributions,Nonclinical Distributions,System, Health Care,System, Healthcare,Systems, Health Care,Systems, Healthcare
D005544	Forecasting	The prediction or projection of the nature of future problems or existing conditions based upon the extrapolation or interpretation of existing scientific data or by the application of scientific methodology.	Futurology,Projections and Predictions,Future,Predictions and Projections
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000806	Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors	A class of drugs whose main indications are the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. They exert their hemodynamic effect mainly by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system. They also modulate sympathetic nervous system activity and increase prostaglandin synthesis. They cause mainly vasodilation and mild natriuresis without affecting heart rate and contractility.	ACE Inhibitor,ACE Inhibitors,Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Kininase II Inhibitor,Kininase II Inhibitors,Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors,Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Antagonists,Antagonists, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme,Antagonists, Kininase II,Inhibitors, ACE,Inhibitors, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme,Inhibitors, Kininase II,Kininase II Antagonists,Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Antagonists,Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors,Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitors,Antagonists, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme,Enzyme Antagonists, Angiotensin-Converting,Enzyme Inhibitor, Angiotensin-Converting,Enzyme Inhibitors, Angiotensin-Converting,II Inhibitor, Kininase,Inhibitor, ACE,Inhibitor, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme,Inhibitor, Kininase II,Inhibitors, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme
D000924	Anticholesteremic Agents	Substances used to lower plasma CHOLESTEROL levels.	Cholesterol Inhibitors,Hypocholesteremic Agents,Anticholesteremic Drugs,Anticholesteremics,Inhibitors, Cholesterol,Agents, Anticholesteremic,Agents, Hypocholesteremic,Drugs, Anticholesteremic
D001315	Australia	The smallest continent and an independent country, comprising six states and two territories. Its capital is Canberra.	Canton and Enderbury Islands,Christmas Island,Christmas Island (Australia)