Frontiers in Pharmacology (Oct 2016)

Challenges from variation across regions in cost effectiveness analysis in multi-regional clinical trials

  • Yunbo Chu,
  • Luyan Dai,
  • Sheng Qi,
  • Matthew Lee Smith,
  • Hui Huang,
  • Yang Li,
  • Ye Shen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2016.00371
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7

Abstract

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Economic evaluation in the form of cost-effectiveness analysis has become a popular means to inform decisions in healthcare. With multi-regional clinical trials in a global development program becoming a new venue for drug efficacy testing in recent decades, questions in methods for cost-effectiveness analysis in the multi-regional clinical trials setting also emerge. This paper addresses some challenges from variation across regions in cost effectiveness analysis in multi-regional clinical trials. Several discussion points are raised for further attention and a multi-regional clinical trial example is presented to illustrate the implications in industrial application. A general message is delivered to call for a depth discussion by all stakeholders to reach an agreement on a good practice in cost-effectiveness analysis in the multi-regional clinical trials. Meanwhile, we recommend an additional consideration of cost-effectiveness analysis results based on the clinical evidence from a certain homogeneous population as sensitivity or scenario analysis upon data availability.

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