Cost‐effectiveness of different clinical interventions for reducing the burden of schizophrenia in Spain

Objective:  To estimate the cost‐effectiveness of interventions for reducing the burden of schizophrenia in Spain. Method:  The study examined the cost‐effectiveness of seven different types of clinical interventions at the level of Spanish population: i) current situation; ii) older antipsychotics alone; iii) new antipsychotics alone (risperidone); iv) older antipsychotics plus psychosocial treatment; v) new antipsychotics plus psychosocial treatment; vi) older antipsychotics plus case management and psychosocial treatment; vii) new antipsychotics plus case management and psychosocial treatment. Results:  Interventions based on the combination of haloperidol with psychosocial treatment or psychosocial treatment plus case management proved to be the most efficient strategies. Conclusion:  The relatively modest additional cost of concurrent psychosocial treatment has significant health gains, thereby making such a combined strategy for schizophrenia more cost‐effective than pharmacology alone.