ABSTRACT
BackgroundAlthough high vaccine effectiveness of messenger RNA (mRNA) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines was reported in studies in several countries, data is limited from Asian countries, especially against the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant. MethodsWe conducted a multicenter test-negative case-control study in patients aged [≥]16 visiting hospitals or clinics with signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 from July 1 to September 30, 2021, when the Delta variant was dominant ([≥]90% of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2] infections) nationwide in Japan. Vaccine effectiveness of BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections was evaluated. Waning immunity among patients aged 16 to 64 was also assessed. ResultsWe enrolled 1936 patients, including 396 test-positive cases and 1540 test-negative controls for SARS-CoV-2. The median age was 49 years, 53.4% were male, and 34.0% had underlying medical conditions. Full vaccination (receiving two doses [≥]14 days before symptom onset) was received by 6.6% of cases and 38.8% of controls. Vaccine effectiveness of full vaccination against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections was 88.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78.8-93.9) among patients aged 16 to 64 and 90.3% (95% CI, 73.6-96.4) among patients aged [≥]65. Among patients aged 16 to 64, vaccine effectiveness within one to three months after full vaccination was 91.8% (95% CI, 80.3-96.6), and was 86.4% (95% CI, 56.9-95.7) within four to six months. ConclusionsmRNA COVID-19 vaccines had high effectiveness against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections in Japan during July 1 to September 30, 2021, when the Delta variant was dominant nationwide.
ABSTRACT
“Appropriate/Rational allocation for limited healthcare resources”, which was the fundamental concept of the health economics, had not been widely accepted/disseminated for the general public in Japan. Although vast majority agreed with the existence of healthcare budget constraint, it had not been widely recognized that “physical” healthcare resources, such as healthcare professional and/or healthcare facilities, were also limited and restricted, until current COVID-19 ERA. The HTA （Health Technology Assessment） concept could be used for COVID-19 related resource allocation issues, such as prioritization of the vaccination. Kohli et al. conducted cost-utility analysis of various treatment strategy for the hypothetical vaccine in the US setting. They proved that vaccination for elderly and stuffs for health care/long term care facilities were cost-effective （dominant and USD 20,000/QALY, respectively）, while we need to take into account relatively low incidence rate of COVID-19 in Japan.However, current framework of the HTA with narrower perspective, could not capture entire value of the preventive intervention against COVID-19. Appleby et al. argued that broader perspective, under which external impacts, outside of healthcare area, would be incorporated, would be needed for appropriate decision making.Faced with COVID-19 pandemic, importance of re-defining （or expanding） the value of intervention would be widely recognized and further conceptual research should be warranted.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The pharmacological effects of generic (GE) donepezil are the same as Aricept, its brand-name counterpart. However, little is known as to whether these two drugs provide the same quality of life (QOL). The study subjects were patients with Alzheimer's disease who were taking donepezil hydrochloride tablets, and were selected by visiting either the local pharmacies or the patients' homes. We chose the brand-name drug Aricept and its GE form donepezil to investigate, from a long-term caregiver's perspective, the influence of both drugs on the patients' QOL. METHODS: An EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) was used to assess the QOL of patients with Alzheimer's disease, before and after various Aricept and/or donepezil regimens. Patients were divided into four groups: first time users of Aricept (n=43), first time users of GE donepezil (n=45), users refilling previous prescriptions of Aricept (n=51), and users switching from Aricept to GE donepezil (n=51). RESULTS: The average change in the EQ-5D utility indices rose significantly in the patients starting a new regimen of Aricept and its GE drug. The patients continuing an existing regimen of Aricept showed no significant differences, even after Aricept was switched to a GE drug. CONCLUSION: The QOL of patients starting a new regimen of Aricept and its GE drug improved. The QOL was maintained upon switching to the GE drug form.
Subject(s)
Humans , Alzheimer Disease , Drugs, Generic , Pharmacies , Prescriptions , Quality of Life , TabletsABSTRACT
The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system and the Defined Daily Dose (DDD) as a measuring unit was developed along with an increased concern about drug utilization studies in Europe in the 1960s. Its use was recommended by the WHO Regional Office of Europe on 1981, then by the WHO Headquarters in Geneva in 1996. It is maintained by the WHO Collaborating Centre on Drug Statistics Methodology in Olso (http://www.whocc.no/) and widely used in Europe. However, it is rarely used in other parts of the world. This paper aims to inform the Japanese public about the ATC/ DDD system towards a more rational use of drugs in Japan. It attempts to answer the five Ws on ATC/ DDD, i.e., “What is ATC/DDD?”; “Why is ATC/DDD used?”; “When was ATC/DDD established?”; “Who decide ATC/DDD and how?”; and “Where is ATC/DDD used?”
