Published in:
01-07-2001 | Leading Article
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
Pharmacoeconomic Issues in the Management of HIV Infection
Authors:
Dr Pedram Sendi, Andrew J. Palmer, Amiram Gafni, Manuel Battegay
Published in:
PharmacoEconomics
|
Issue 7/2001
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Abstract
The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), including protease inhibitors and/or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, for the treatment of HIV infection has led to a dramatic decline of morbidity and mortality. The acquisition costs of HAART are substantial. However, these costs are partially offset by reduced inpatient care for opportunistic infections and other AIDS-related diseases. Furthermore, job productivity in patients infected with HIV is increased under HAART. In developed countries with a low unemployment rate, the discounted value of savings caused by increased productivity in earlier years exceeds the discounted value of later increases in costs resulting from morbidity. Therefore, HAART represents a very efficient treatment strategy that leads to overall cost savings when taking a societal perspective.