Should anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis be reimbursed in France? A cost-effectiveness analysis of different reimbursement strategies.

OBJECTIVES: France is the Western country with the highest number of imported malaria cases. This study evaluates the cost and effectiveness of the potential reimbursement of drugs for malaria chemoprophylaxis (CP). It targets travelers with medical insurance in France who are heading to endemic regions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the cost of which is currently fully borne by these travelers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A decision-tree model was built to assess the cost-effectiveness of three CP reimbursement strategies compared to the current strategy of non-reimbursement from the French National Health Insurance (NHI) perspective. The three strategies targeted either (1) all travelers to SSA (2) travelers of African origin traveling to visit friends and relatives (VFR) and (3) all travelers to West and Central Africa (WCA). Base-case analysis is complemented with deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA). RESULTS: Reimbursement of CP would lead to a decrease in malaria cases. The base-case incremental cost per additional malaria case prevented (ICER) for strategies 1, 2 and 3 is estimated at € 34,623, € 15,136 and € 23,640, respectively. PSA confirms our results, showing that reimbursement has a very high probability of being cost-effective, especially under strategies 2 and 3. CONCLUSION: Reimbursement of malaria CP by the French NHI could be cost-effective and have a positive effect on malaria prevention in France. Restricting reimbursement to VFRs allows lower ICERs but does not seem feasible in the current French context, while targeting travelers to WCA, who are at higher risk for malaria, could be a reasonably efficient policy.

[Home blood transfusion in France: Benefits and development terms]. / Transfusion à domicile : intérêt et conditions de développement dans le contexte français.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with cancers or malignant homeopathies can suffer from chronic anemia and be regularly transfused in hospitals. Most of the time, their performance status is low. Few local structures currently provide blood transfusion services and patients have to go under difficult and costing transportation to the hospital. The objective of this work is to evaluate benefits and development terms of home blood transfusion for patients with chronic anemia and having to get transfused regularly. METHODS: A field investigation-mixing observations and interviews and a literature review were conducted. RESULTS: Home blood transfusion represented a little part of home health care activity. When it was practiced, its organization was heterogeneous: it was sometimes performed by a doctor, sometimes by a nurse. Home blood transfusion was benefic for patients: it was more comfortable and it allowed them to avoid harmful transportation to the hospital. Few adverse events occurred during various experiments, all were mild. Before its revaluation in March 2018, home blood transfusion was not enough funded by National health insurance. Home blood transfusion also suffered from a lack of framework until the publication of recommendations in April 2018. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of a framework and sufficient funding prevented home blood transfusion development until changes that occurred in 2018. Therefore, this activity should develop in years to come. Allowing reducing unnecessary hospitalizations, home blood transfusion fit into French health national strategy.

Can we stop immunomodulatory treatments in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The benefits of immunomodulatory treatments in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) are unclear, calling into question their continuation. In the present observational study, we investigated the effect of treatment withdrawal on the clinical course of SPMS. METHODS: We included 100 consecutive patients with SPMS who regularly attended our multiple sclerosis clinic. Inclusion criteria were (i) secondary progressive phenotype for at least 2 years, (ii) immunomodulatory treatment for at least 6 months and (iii) treatment stopped with no plans to switch to another. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data before and after treatment discontinuation were assessed. Factors associated with relapses and/or MRI activity were identified. RESULTS: Mean treatment duration was 60.4 ± 39.3 months, and mean follow-up duration after treatment withdrawal was 62.4 ± 38.4 months. The annualized relapse rate remained stable at 1 and 3 years after treatment withdrawal [0.09, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.05-0.17 and 0.07, 95% CI, 0.05-0.11, respectively], relative to the 3 years prior to treatment withdrawal (0.12, 95% CI, 0.09-0.16). Sixteen patients experienced a relapse and 19 had a gadolinium-positive MRI scan without relapse during follow-up. A gadolinium-positive MRI scan within the previous 3 years before treatment withdrawal and Expanded Disability Status Scale score of <6 were positively associated with relapse and/or MRI activity after discontinuation (P = 0.0004 and P = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this retrospective study, including a limited number of patients with SPMS, the annualized relapse rate remained stable after treatment withdrawal, relative to before treatment withdrawal. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this result and provide evidence-based guidelines for daily practice.

[Physicians' perception on taking care of Jehovah's witnesses]. / Perception par les médecins des conditions de prise en charge d'un Témoin de Jéhovah.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The goal of this study is to assess the physician's management of patients who refuse blood transfusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire to assess the experience, the acceptance or refusal and the operating methods in case of vital risk has been realized and circulated at a national scale. RESULTS: A total of 793 questionnaires were sent back and analysed according to 3 different categories: anesthesiologists, physicians and surgeons. Seventy-nine percent of total respondents and 90% of anesthesiologists had had to take care of a Jehovah's Witness. In 51% of all cases, it appears to be associated with mainly relational problems with the patient or his family. Nevertheless, 83% accept to take care a Jehovah witness, the most reluctant of them being anesthesiologists. A written confirmation of blood transfusion refusal even at vital risk and a piece of written evidence of belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses are not systematically required. For them, the impossibility to foresee with certainty the need for blood transfusion represents the main barrier to the medical care of a Jehovah's Witness. In case of imminent vital risk and if there are no available alternative procedures, 67% of respondents administer blood products (89% if the patient is unconscious). CONCLUSION: This situation has nothing exceptional but the medical community does not seem to know all the regulatory requirements. Generally speaking, they do not oppose the medical care of a Jehovah's Witness, but remain committed to their primary focus: to save the patient, as long as it is not an end-of-life situation.