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Cost‐effectiveness analysis and efficient use of the pharmaceutical budget: the key role of clinical pharmacologists
Author(s) -
Edlin Richard,
Round Jeff,
Hulme Claire,
McCabe Christopher
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2010.03617.x
Subject(s) - disinvestment , medicine , health care , resource allocation , population health , resource (disambiguation) , health economics , population , public economics , intensive care medicine , computer science , public health , economics , environmental health , nursing , economic growth , computer network , microeconomics , incentive
The purpose of this paper is to provide information about cost‐effectiveness analysis and the roles of clinical pharmacologists generally in providing efficient health care. The paper highlights the potential consequences of ‘off‐label prescribing’ and ‘indication creep’ behaviour given slower growth (or potential cuts) in the NHS budget. This paper highlights the key roles of clinical pharmacologists in delivering an efficient health care system when resources are allocated using cost‐effectiveness analyses. It describes what cost‐effectiveness analysis (CEA) is and how incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs) are used to identify efficient options. After outlining the theoretical framework within which using CEA can promote the efficient allocation of the health care budget, it considers the place of disinvestment within achieving efficient resource allocation. Clinical pharmacologists are argued to be critical to providing improved population health under CEA‐based resource allocation processes because of their roles in implementation and disinvestment. Given that the challenges facing the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) are likely to increase, this paper sets out the stark choices facing clinical pharmacologists.