Cost-effectiveness of dostarlimab plus chemotherapy for primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Objective: In the double-blind, phase III, placebo-controlled RUBY randomized clinical trial, dostarlimab plus carboplatin-paclitaxel significantly increased survival among patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC). We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of dostarlimab in combination with chemotherapy in these patients stratified by mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) and mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) subgroups from the perspective of a United States payer. Materials and methods: A Markov model with three states was employed to simulate patients who were administered either dostarlimab in combination with chemotherapy or chemotherapy based on the RUBY trial. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated with a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $150,000 per QALY. Both univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out to explore the robustness of the model. Results: In dMMR EC, the combination of dostarlimab and chemotherapy achieved an additional 5.48 QALYs at an incremental cost of $330,747 compared to chemotherapy alone, resulting in an ICER of $60,349.30 per QALY. In pMMR EC, there were 1.51 additional QALYs gained at an extra cost of $265,148, yielding an ICER of $175,788.47 per QALY. With a 15.2% discount on dostarlimab, the ICER decreased to $150,000 per QALY in the pMMR EC. The univariate sensitivity analysis revealed that the cost of dostarlimab, utility of progression-free survival (PFS), and progressive disease (PD) had the most significant impacts on the outcomes. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that dostarlimab had a 100% likelihood of being considered cost-effective for patients at a WTP threshold of $150,000 per QALY for dMMR EC, whereas this likelihood was only 0.5% for pMMR EC. Conclusion: Dostarlimab in combination with chemotherapy was cost-effective for primary advanced or recurrent dMMR EC from the perspective of a United States payer at a WTP threshold of $150,000 per QALY, but not for pMMR EC. Lowering the prices of dostarlimab could potentially enhance the cost-effectiveness of treatment for pMMR EC.

The survival and cost-effectiveness analysis of adjunctive Chinese medicine therapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan.

Introduction: Cancer, particularly lung cancer, is a significant global healthcare challenge. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) constitutes 85% of cases. Patients often seek alternative therapies like Chinese medicine alongside Western treatments. This study investigates the survival outcomes and cost-effectiveness of adjunctive Chinese medicine therapy for NSCLC patients in Taiwan. Methods: We utilized the National Health Insurance Research Database in a retrospective cohort study from 2000 to 2018, focusing on NSCLC patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2013. After propensity score matching 1:5 ratio, then compared patients with and without adjunctive Chinese medicine therapy. Survival outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results: The study involved 43,122 NSCLC patients with 5.76% receiving adjunctive Chinese medicine. There is no significant associated between the risk of death and adjuvant Chinese medicine therapy until 181-365 days of adjuvant treatment could reduce the risk of death (HR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.80-0.98). Cost-effectiveness analysis showed an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 880,908 NT$/year. Conclusion: Adjunctive Chinese medicine therapy, particularly when administered for 181-365 days, significantly reduced the mortality risk among stage IV NSCLC patients. The cost-effectiveness aligns with willingness-to-pay thresholds, indicating economic benefit.

The added value of the long-term ecological research network to upscale restoration in Europe.

Achieving global restoration targets poses challenges including the need for long-term research and effective monitoring of success, fostering collaborations across diverse fields and actors, ensuring the availability of suitable reference ecosystems, and securing sustained funding. Yet, these conditions are often lacking, limiting the effectiveness of restoration. We provide an overview of ecological restoration practices in the pan-European region of the Long-term Ecological Research Network (eLTER) and demonstrate the importance of eLTER and its potential contributions to support the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law. We developed an online questionnaire to collect information on eLTER restoration experts and restoration projects details including the use of eLTER contributions (e.g. infrastructure, data and knowledge), between November 2021 and March 2022. We identified 62 restoration experts and 42 restoration projects from 18 countries. Our results show that eLTER restoration expertise covers most of the European habitats, diverse degradation states and restoration techniques. Most restoration projects (78%) involved long-term monitoring exceeding the average project lifespan, which has proven necessary to achieve restoration success. No common protocol was used for monitoring and evaluation or cost-benefit estimates, but respondents reported effective projects, mostly financed from national funds, and benefits in five ecosystem services on average covered per project. Key eLTER contributions included providing reference ecosystems, biotic and abiotic background data, and interdisciplinary discussion or stakeholder management. Ecological restoration is time intensive and requires long-term research and monitoring standardization to fully understand the restoration process and to ensure comparability across ecosystems. The eLTER network can help address these challenges providing added-value contributions through its infrastructure, long-term datasets, diversity of expertise and strategies that can help identify best restoration practices and support the EU Nature Restoration Law. Finally, additional and long-term funding from the EU and the private sector is needed to achieve global larger-scale restoration targets.

How many Monte Carlo samples are needed for probabilistic cost-effectiveness analyses?

OBJECTIVE: Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) is conducted to account for the uncertainty in cost and effect of decision options under consideration. PSA involves obtaining a large sample of input parameter values (N) to estimate the expected cost and effect of each alternative in the presence of parameter uncertainty. When the analysis involves using stochastic models (e.g., individual-level models), the model is further replicated P times for each sampled parameter set. We study how N and P should be determined. METHODS: We show that PSA could be structured such that P can be an arbitrary number (say, P=1). To determine N, we derive a formula based on Chebyshev's inequality such that the error in estimating the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of alternatives (or equivalently, the willingness-to-pay value at which the optimal decision option changes) is within a desired level of accuracy. We described two methods to confirmed, visually and quantitatively, that the N informed by this method results in ICER estimates within the specified level of accuracy. RESULTS: When N is arbitrarily selected, the estimated ICERs could be substantially different from the true ICER (even as P increases), which could lead misleading conclusions. Using a simple resource allocation model, we demonstrate that the proposed approach can minimize the potential for this error. CONCLUSIONS: The number of parameter samples in probabilistic CEAs should not be arbitrarily selected. We describe three methods to ensure that enough parameter samples are used in probabilistic CEAs.

The Burden of NSAID-ERD: Interplay between Quality of Life and Economic Implications.

NSAID-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (NSAID-ERD) presents a significant challenge in clinical management, owing to recalcitrant disease with accompanying profound impacts on patient quality of life. Though asthma represents a significant component of this disease, quality of life disruptions are driven primarily by recalcitrant sinonasal complaints, olfactory dysfunction, and the associated psychosocial and dietary implications. This review delves into specific quality of life metrics used to assess NSAID-ERD and the associated healthcare burden and financial implications of this disease, offering insights into the comparative challenges in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) where available. The article reviews the associated costs and cost-effectiveness of NSAID-ERD-directed therapies, including endoscopic sinus surgery, aspirin desensitization, and biologic therapy. While some of these emerging treatment approaches show promise, they also present numerous unanswered questions, reflecting the dynamic nature of this field. As the landscape of NSAID-ERD management continues to evolve, this review provides insights into the challenges faced by clinicians and underscores the need for further research to optimize patient care and quality of life outcomes.

Cost-Effectiveness of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Chinese Patients.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is the most popular bariatric surgery procedure in China. However, its cost-effectiveness in Chinese patients is currently unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of LSG vs no surgery in Chinese patients with severe and complex obesity, taking into account both healthcare expenses and the potential improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, encompassing 135 Chinese patients who underwent LSG between January 3, 2022 and December 29, 2022, at a major bariatric center. The study evaluated the cost-effectiveness from a healthcare service perspective, employing the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. The analyses compared LSG with the alternative of not undergoing surgery over a 1-year period, using actual data, and extended to a lifetime horizon by projecting costs and utilities at an annual discount rate of 3.0%. Subgroup analyses were undertaken to explore cost-effectiveness variations across different sex, age and BMI categories, and diabetes status, employing a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). To ensure the reliability of the findings, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were executed. RESULTS: The results indicated that 1-year post-LSG, patients achieved an average total weight loss (TWL) of (32.7 ± 7.3)% and an excess weight loss (EWL) of (97.8 ± 23.1)%. The ICER for LSG compared to no surgery over a lifetime was $4,327/QALY, significantly below the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold for Chinese patients with severe and complex obesity. From a lifetime perspective, LSG proved to be cost-effective for all sex and age groups, across all BMI categories, and for both patients with and without diabetes. Notably, it was more cost-effective for younger patients, patients with higher BMI, and patients with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: LSG is a highly cost-effective intervention for managing obesity in Chinese patients, delivering substantial benefits in terms of HRQoL improvement at a low cost. Its cost-effectiveness is particularly pronounced among younger individuals, those with higher BMI, and patients with diabetes.

Cost-effectiveness of single-pill and separate-pill administration of antihypertensive triple combination therapy: a population-based microsimulation study.

BACKGROUND: Single-pill combination (SPC) of three antihypertensive drugs has been shown to improve adherence to therapy compared with free combinations, but little is known about its long-term costs and health consequences. This study aimed to evaluate the lifetime cost-effectiveness profile of a three-drug SPC of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a calcium-channel blocker, and a diuretic vs the corresponding two-pill administration (a two-drug SPC plus a third drug separately) from the Italian payer perspective. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using multi-state semi-Markov modeling and microsimulation. Using the healthcare utilization database of the Lombardy Region (Italy), 30,172 and 65,817 patients aged ≥ 40 years who initiated SPC and two-pill combination, respectively, between 2015 and 2018 were identified. The observation period extended from the date of the first drug dispensation until death, emigration, or December 31, 2019. Disease and cost models were parametrized using the study cohort, and a lifetime microsimulation was applied to project costs and life expectancy for the compared strategies, assigning each of them to each cohort member. Costs and life-years gained were discounted by 3%. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis with 1,000 samples was performed to address parameter uncertainty. RESULTS: Compared with the two-pill combination, the SPC increased life expectancy by 0.86 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-1.14), with a mean cost differential of -€12 (95% CI -9,719-8,131), making it the dominant strategy (ICER = -14, 95% CI -€15,871-€7,113). The cost reduction associated with the SPC was primarily driven by savings in hospitalization costs, amounting to €1,850 (95% CI 17-7,813) and €2,027 (95% CI 19-8,603) for patients treated with the SPC and two-pill combination, respectively. Conversely, drug costs were higher for the SPC (€3,848, 95% CI 574-10,640 vs. €3,710, 95% CI 263-11,955). The cost-effectiveness profile did not significantly change according to age, sex, and clinical status. CONCLUSIONS: The SPC was projected to be cost-effective compared with the two-pill combination at almost all reasonable willingness-to-pay thresholds. As it is currently prescribed to only a few patients, the widespread use of this strategy could result in benefits for both patients and the healthcare system.

Incidence of anastomotic leakage using powered circular staplers versus manual circular staplers for left colorectal anastomosis: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal anastomotic leakage causes severe consequences for patients and healthcare system as it will lead to increased consumption of hospital resources and costs. Technological improvements in anastomotic devices could reduce the incidence of leakage and its economic impact. The aim of the present study was to assess if the use of a new powered circular stapler is cost-effective. METHOD: This observational study included patients undergoing left-sided circular stapled colorectal anastomosis between January 2018 and December 2021. Propensity score matching was carried out to create two comparable groups depending on whether the anastomosis was performed using a manual or powered circular device. The rate of anastomotic leakage, its severity, the consumption of hospital resources, and its cost were the main outcome measures. A cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the powered circular stapler versus manual circular staplers was performed. RESULTS: A total of 330 patients were included in the study, 165 in each group. Anastomotic leakage rates were significantly different (p = 0.012): 22 patients (13.3%) in the manual group versus 8 patients (4.8%) in the powered group. The effectiveness of the powered stapler and manual stapler was 98.27% and 93.69%, respectively. The average cost per patient in the powered group was €6238.38, compared with €9700.12 in the manual group. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was - €74,915.28 per patient without anastomotic complications. CONCLUSION: The incremental cost of powered circular stapler compared with manual devices was offset by the savings from lowered incidence and cost of management of anastomotic leaks.

Impact of a family support intervention on hospitalization costs and hospital readmissions among ICU patients at high risk of death or severe functional impairment.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced critical illness often receive more intensive treatment than they would choose for themselves, which contributes to high health care costs near the end of life. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a family support intervention delivered by the interprofessional ICU team decreases hospitalization costs and hospital readmissions among critically ill patients at high risk of death or severe functional impairment. RESULTS: We examined index hospitalization costs as well as post-discharge utilization of acute care hospitals, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities, and hospice services for the PARTNER trial, a multicenter, stepped-wedge, cluster randomized trial of an interprofessional ICU family support intervention. We determined patients' total controllable and direct variable costs using a computerized accounting system. We determined post-discharge resource utilization (as defined above) by structured telephone interview at 6-month follow-up. We used multiple variable regression modelling to compare outcomes between groups. Compared to usual care, the PARTNER intervention resulted in significantly lower total controllable costs (geometric mean: $26,529 vs $32,105; log-linear coefficient: - 0.30; 95% CI - 0.49, - 0.11) and direct variable costs ($3912 vs $6034; - 0.33; 95% CI - 0.56, - 0.10). A larger cost reduction occurred for decedents ($20,304 vs. $26,610; - 0.66; 95% CI - 1.01, - 0.31) compared to survivors ($31,353 vs. $35,015; - 0.15; 95% CI - 0.35,0.05). A lower proportion in the intervention arm were re-admitted to an acute care hospital (34.9% vs 45.1%; 0.66; 95% CI 0.56, 0.77) or skilled nursing facility (25.3% vs 31.6%; 0.63; 95% CI 0.47, 0.84). CONCLUSIONS: A family support intervention delivered by the interprofessional ICU team significantly decreased index hospitalization costs and readmission rates over 6-month follow-up. Trial registration Trial registration number: NCT01844492.

A scenario based approach to optimizing cost-effectiveness of physician-staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Services compared to ground-based Emergency Medical Services in Finland.

OBJECTIVES: Since Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) is an expensive resource in terms of unit price compared to ground-based Emergency Medical Service (EMS), it is important to further investigate which methods would allow for the optimization of these services. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of physician-staffed HEMS compared to ground-based EMS in developed scenarios with improvements in triage, aviation performance, and the inclusion of ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was assessed by comparing health outcomes and costs of HEMS versus ground-based EMS across six different scenarios. Estimated 30-day mortality and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were used to measure health benefits. Quality-of-Life (QoL) was assessed with EuroQoL instrument, and a one-way sensitivity analysis was carried out across different patient groups. Survival estimates were evaluated from the national FinnHEMS database, with cost analysis based on the most recent financial reports. RESULTS: The best outcome was achieved in Scenario 3.1 which included a reduction in over-alerts, aviation performance enhancement, and assessment of ischemic stroke patients. This scenario yielded 1077.07-1436.09 additional QALYs with an ICER of 33,703-44,937 €/QALY. This represented a 27.72% increase in the additional QALYs and a 21.05% reduction in the ICER compared to the current practice. CONCLUSIONS: The cost-effectiveness of HEMS can be highly improved by adding stroke patients into the dispatch criteria, as the overall costs are fixed, and the cost-effectiveness is determined based on the utilization rate of capacity.

Admission screening testing of patients and staff N95 masks are cost-effective in reducing COVID-19 hospital acquired infections.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 outbreaks in acute care settings can have severe consequences for patients due to their underlying vulnerabilities, and can be costly due to additional patient bed days and the need to replace isolating staff. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of clinical staff N95 masks and admission screening testing of patients to reduce COVID-19 hospital-acquired infections. METHODS: An agent-based model was calibrated to data on 178 outbreaks in acute care settings in Victoria, Australia between October 2021 and July 2023. Outbreaks were simulated under different combinations of staff masking (surgical, N95) and patient admission screening testing (none, RAT, PCR). For each scenario, average diagnoses, COVID-19 deaths, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) from discharged patients, and costs (masks, testing, patient COVID-19 bed days, staff replacement costs while isolating) from acute COVID-19 were estimated over a 12-month period. FINDINGS: Compared to no admission screening testing and staff surgical masks, all scenarios were cost saving with health gains. Staff N95s + RAT admission screening of patients was the cheapest, saving A$78.4M [95%UI 44.4M-135.3M] and preventing 1,543 [1,070-2,146] deaths state-wide per annum. Both interventions were individually beneficial: staff N95s in isolation saved A$54.7M and 854 deaths state-wide per annum, while RAT admission screening of patients in isolation saved A$57.6M and 1,176 deaths state-wide per annum. INTERPRETATION: In acute care settings, staff N95 mask use and admission screening testing of patients can reduce hospital-acquired COVID-19 infections, COVID-19 deaths, and are cost-saving because of reduced patient bed days and staff replacement needs.

Comparison of the cost-effectiveness and safety between staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty and simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study between 2001 and 2022.

INTRODUCTION: A substantial proportion of Hong Kong's aging population suffers from osteoarthritis in both knees. Bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) is a surgical option for addressing this condition and can be performed via two approaches: simultaneous (SimBTKA) and staged (StaBTKA) bilateral TKAs. We compared the cost-effectiveness and safety of these two methods in our institution. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 2,372 patients (SimBTKA, 772; StaBTKA, 1,600; female, 1,780; male, 592; mean age at SimBTKA, 70.4 ± 7.99 years; mean age at StaBTKA, 66.4 ± 7.50 years; p < 0.001) who underwent bilateral TKA in our institution from 2001 to 2022. Patients were categorized according to surgical approach. Patients undergoing BTKA in our institution were included. Particularly for SimBTKA, patients were assessed by anesthetists to be medically fit before undergoing SimBTKA according to their age, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, and osteoarthritis severity. Primary outcome was the length-of-stay (LOS) after surgery. Secondary outcomes were the 30-day unintended readmission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death. RESULTS: SimBTKA had a short mean total LOS (acute hospital + rehabilitation center; SimBTKA, 13.09 days; StaBTKA, 18.12 days; p < 0.001) and mean LOS in acute hospital (SimBTKA, 7.70 days; StaBTKA, 10.42 days; p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was found in mean LOS in rehabilitation centers (SimBTKA, 5.47 days; StaBTKA, 6.32 days; p > 0.05) between the two approaches. The 30-day unintended readmission rate was low in SimBTKA (SimBTKA, 2.07%; StaBTKA, 3.30%; OR = 1.60; p > 0.05) but statistically insignificant. SimBTKA was less costly than StaBTKA by US$8,422.22. per patient. No significant differences in ICU admission and death rates were found (p > 0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: SimBTKA had a shorter LOS and lower cost than StaBTKA and comparable complication rates. Therefore, SimBTKA should be indicated in medically stable patients.

High cost of chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of gynecological malignancies has improved with the recent advent of molecularly targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, these drugs are expensive and contribute to the increasing costs of medical care. METHODS: The Japanese Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) Health Economics Committee conducted a questionnaire survey of JCOG-affiliated facilities from July 2021 to June 2022 to assess the prevalence of high-cost regimens. RESULTS: A total of 57 affiliated facilities were surveyed regarding standard regimens for advanced ovarian and cervical cancers for gynecological malignancies. Responses were obtained from 39 facilities (68.4%) regarding ovarian cancer and 37 (64.9%) concerning cervical cancer, with respective case counts of 854 and 163. For ovarian cancer, 505 of 854 patients (59.1%) were treated with regimens that included PARP inhibitors, costing >500 000 Japanese yen monthly, while 111 patients (13.0%) received treatments that included bevacizumab, with costs exceeding 200 000 Japanese yen monthly. These costs are ~20 and ~10 times higher than those of the conventional regimens, respectively. For cervical cancer, 79 patients (48.4%) were treated with bevacizumab regimens costing >200 000 Japanese yen per month, ~10 times the cost of conventional treatments. CONCLUSIONS: In this survey, >70% of patients with ovarian cancer were treated with regimens that included poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors or bevacizumab; ~50% of patients with cervical cancer were treated with regimens containing bevacizumab. These treatments were ~10 and ~20 times more expensive than conventional regimens, respectively. These findings can inform future health economics studies, particularly in assessing cost-effectiveness and related matters.

Treatment of moderate acute malnutrition through community health volunteers is a cost-effective intervention: Evidence from a resource-limited setting.

Treatment outcomes for acute malnutrition can be improved by integrating treatment into community case management (iCCM). However, little is known about the cost-effectiveness of this integrated nutrition intervention. The present study investigates the cost-effectiveness of treating moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) through community health volunteer (CHV) and integrating it with routine iCCM. A cost-effectiveness model compared the costs and effects of CHV sites plus health facility-based treatment (intervention) with the routine health facility-based treatment strategy alone (control). The costing assessments combined both provider and patient costs. The cost per DALY averted was the primary metric for the comparison, on which sensitivity analysis was performed. Additionally, the integrated strategy's relative value for money was evaluated using the most recent country-specific gross domestic product threshold metrics. The intervention dominated the health facility-based strategy alone on all computed cost-effectiveness outcomes. MAM treatment by CHVs plus health facilities was estimated to yield a cost per death and DALY averted of US$ 8743 and US$ 397, respectively, as opposed to US$ 13,846 and US$ 637 in the control group. The findings also showed that the intervention group spent less per child treated and recovered than the control group: US$ 214 versus US$ 270 and US$ 306 versus US$ 485, respectively. Compared with facility-based treatment, treating MAM by CHVs and health facilities was a cost-effective intervention. Additional gains could be achieved if more children with MAM are enrolled and treated.

Implementing constructed wetlands for nutrient reduction at watershed scale: Opportunity to link models and real-world execution.

The negative effects of nutrient pollution in streams, rivers, and downstream waterbodies remain widespread global problems. Understanding the cost-effectiveness of different strategies for mitigating nutrient pollution is critical to making informed decisions and defining expectations that best utilize limited resources, which is a research priority for the US Environmental Protection Agency. To this end, we modeled nutrient management practices including residue management, cover crops, filter strips, grassed waterways, constructed wetlands, and reducing fertilizer in the upper East Fork of the Little Miami River, an 892 km2 watershed in southwestern Ohio, United States. The watershed is 64% agriculture with 422 km2 of row crops contributing an estimated 71% of the system's nutrient load. The six practices were modeled to treat row crop area, and among them, constructed wetlands ranked highest for their low costs per kilogram of nutrient removed. To meet a 42% phosphorus (P) reduction target for row crops, the model results suggested that the runoff from 85.5% of the row crop area would need to be treated by the equivalent of 3.61 km2 of constructed wetlands at an estimated cost of US$2.4 million annually (or US$48.5 million over a 20-year life cycle). This prompted a series of projects designed to understand the feasibility (defined in terms of build, treatment, and cost potential) of retrofitting the system with the necessary extent of constructed wetlands. The practicalities of building this wetland coverage into the system, while leading to innovation in unit-level design, has highlighted the difficulty of achieving the nutrient reduction target with wetlands alone. Approximately US$1.2 million have been spent on constructing 0.032 km2 of wetlands thus far and a feasibility analysis suggests a cost of US$38 million for an additional 0.409 km2. However, the combined expenditures would only achieve an estimated 13% of the required treatment. The results highlight the potential effectiveness of innovative design strategies for nutrient reduction and the importance of considering realistic field-scale build opportunities, which include accounting for acceptance among landowners, in watershed-scale nutrient reduction simulations using constructed wetlands.

Sugemalimab combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: This study aims to systematically analyze the cost-effectiveness of the combination therapy comprising sugemalimab and chemotherapy in the management of advanced ESCC from the Chinese healthcare system perspective. Methods: An advanced ESCC patient simulation partitioned survival approach model was developed to mimic the disease progression of patients undergoing treatment with sugemalimab in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone. To ensure accuracy and precision, clinical data, treatment costs, and utility values were collected from comprehensive clinical trials and reliable economic databases. The cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted by assessing the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio in relation to the established willingness-to-pay threshold. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the model. Results: The cumulative expenditure for the group of patients administered with sugemalimab amounted to US$ 41734.87, whereas the placebo group was associated with a total cost of US$ 22926.25. By evaluating the ICER, which quantifies the additional cost incurred per QALY gained, a value of US$ 61066.96 per QALY was determined. It is imperative to note that this ICER value surpasses the predetermined threshold for WTP in China, set at US$ 39,855.79 per QALY. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the results were sensitive to the cost of sugemalimab, progression-free survival, and utility values. These fluctuations did not result in a reversal of the study findings. Conclusion: The combination of sugemalimab with chemotherapy for the treatment of ESCC in China is currently not considered a cost-effective therapeutic approach. However, it is suggested that additional reductions in price may facilitate the potential for achieving cost-effectiveness.

Financial incentives to stop smoking: Potential financial consequences of different reward schedules.

INTRODUCTION: Financial incentives to stop smoking (FISS) programs have been implemented internationally to encourage people who smoke to quit smoking. However, such programs require that the financial reward structure and its resulting effects on smoking quit rates are considered. We analyzed a number of scenarios for FISS reward schedules for current smoking individuals in Ireland, with a view to identify the potential implications in terms of financial consequences and expected effects. METHODS: Using national QuitManager services data 2021-2023, we defined smoking quit rates for smokers currently using the national Health Services Executive stop smoking services in Ireland. Smoking quit rates at 4, 12 and 52 weeks were defined, and additionally defined by sex, age and education level. Using scenarios assuming different FISS reward sizes, structures and targeted population sub-groups, we estimated the number of additional quitters, budget impact, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. RESULTS: A FISS program, if implemented for a cohort of 3500 smokers can result in a budget impact ranging €250000 - €870000. The cost-effectiveness trade-off between different payment schedules and the expected effect size suggested that FISS are cost-effective even at a moderate effect size. A FISS program implemented to approximately 20000 smokers nationally would cost between €2.0 million and €4.8 million, subject to the chosen reward schedule. Across social groups, FISS is more cost-effective for females, individuals in the youngest age group, and individuals with a medium level of education. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis highlights the importance of considering different FISS schedules and potential quit effects, when designing such programs. We highlight that FISS programs should be targeted at certain social groups to achieve highest long-term smoking cessation rates. We also identified important challenges that decision-makers face when designing the reward structure of FISS programs. The acceptability or otherwise of the FISS structures may differ among stakeholders and should be explored.

Refining the targeted population and achieving better for colorectal cancer screening.

This editorial comments on the article entitled "Stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer through diagnostic route: Who should be screened?" by Agatsuma et al, who conducted a retrospective study aiming at clarifying the stage at colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis based on different diagnostic routes. We share our opinion about CRC screening programs. The current situation suggests the need for a more specific and targeted population for CRC screening.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Axicabtagene Ciloleucel vs. Standard of Care in Second-Line Treatment for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma in Spain.

PURPOSE: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of axi-cel vs. salvage immunochemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation (HDT+ASCT) for responders to second-line treatment for relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). METHODS: A partitioned survival mixture-cure model comprising three health states was used to estimate the costs, life years gained (LYG), and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) accumulated over a lifetime horizon. Overall survival, event-free survival, and time to the next treatment with axi-cel and HDT+ASCT were derived from the ZUMA-7 study. The total costs (EUR, 2022) included drug acquisition and administration, ASCT, subsequent treatment, disease and adverse event management, and palliative care. The unitary costs were derived from local databases and the literature. A 3% discount rate was applied to the costs and outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with HDT+ASCT, axi-cel provided higher LYG per patient (10.00 vs. 8.28 LYG/patient) and greater QALYs gained per patient (7.85 vs. 6.04 QALY/patient). The lifetime total costs were 343,581 EUR/patient with axi-cel vs. 257,994 EUR/patient with IQT+ASCT. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of axi-cel vs. HDT+ASCT was 49,627 EUR/LYG, and the incremental cost-utility ratio was 47,309 EUR/QALY. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the model. CONCLUSION: Axi-cel is a potentially cost-effective alternative to HDT+ASCT for the treatment of R/R DLBCL in Spain.