PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 602 - 1 May 2010

Cost-effective antiretroviral therapyin Columbia

Guidelines for the treatment of HIV infections wereintroduced into the Columbian National Drug Formularyin 2006. A study presented at the 14th InternationalCongress on Infectious Diseases suggests that the mostcost-effective regimen after the introduction of theseguidelines is zidovudine + lamivudine + efavirenz.

Using a Markov model, the researchers estimatedcosts and outcomes for patients treated with highlyactive antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens. Hospitaland drug costs were obtained from Columbian sources.

The zidovudine + lamivudine + efavirenz regimenwas found to have the lowest costs ($US12 per day) andthe highest success rate (69%), dominating all otherHAART regimens.

It is estimated that more than 165 000 people areinfected with HIV in Columbia, and the authors say thatantiretroviral treatment "is cost-effective by WorldHealth Organization criteria".LUENGAS EVL, et al. The economic impact of introducing HIV/AIDS guidelineinto Colombian National Drug Formulary. Cost-effectiveness analysis. 14thInternational Congress on Infectious Diseases : abstr. 55.003, 9 Mar 2010.Available from: URL: http://www.isid.org/14th%5Ficid 803009706

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 1 May 2010 No. 6021173-5503/10/0602-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved