Cost-effectiveness analysis and budgetary impact of antipsychotics available in the Brazilian Unified Health System

Abstract

Objective: To carry out a cost-effectiveness and budget impact analysis of antipsychotic use in adults to treat schizophrenia from the perspective of the Unified Health System (SUS). Methods: A Markov model simulated the treatment of schizophrenic patients with an initial average age of 25 years and a lifetime horizon. The possibility of combining drugs resulted in 20 pharmacotherapeutic strategies. Results: The lowest-cost strategy, risperidone/olanzapine, obtained values of $45,092.77 with effectiveness of 15.97 QALY. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio in dollars/QALY of olanzapine/risperidone was 2,470.24, and risperidone/ziprasidone was 352,671.90, compared to the first option. All other therapeutic combinations were dominated. The budgetary impact assessment indicated that the most cost-effective choice could generate savings of US$ 1,555.00 on average, per patient, over five years. Conclusion: The therapeutic proposal with the lowest cost per patient was risperidone combined with olanzapine, revealing these two drugs as a strategy with lower budgetary impact and better cost-effectiveness.