Publications by authors named "Michael Iskedjian"
Purpose: Health utilities (HUs) are quantitative measures of quality of life that are used to derive outcomes such as quality-adjusted life years in cost-effectiveness analyses. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there are no HUs for cancer. This study aimed to generate HU estimates for various health states associated with cancer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: No willingness-to-pay (WTP) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) value exists for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to determine the WTP for a QALY in the KSA.
Methods: Adult citizens of the KSA, patients with cancer, or members of the general public (MGP) were recruited to participate in a time trade-off survey to elicit health utilities.
Objectives: Two anti-cancer drugs are currently approved for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC): trastuzumab-based therapy (TBT) administered intravenously as first line therapy until disease progression and lapatinib, an oral self-administered dual therapy with capecitabine (L+C) as second intention for patients who continue to progress despite TBT. In current practice, TBT is still prescribed beyond disease progression. In addition to medical reasons, the difficulty to switch eligible patients to oral drugs may also be explained by economic reasons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To perform an economic evaluation of a specific brand of partially hydrolyzed infant formula (PHF-W) in the prevention of atopic dermatitis (AD) among Australian infants.
Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis was undertaken from the perspectives of the Department of Health and Aging (DHA), of the family of the affected subject and of society as a whole in Australia, based on a decision-analytic model following a hypothetical representative cohort of Australian newborns who are not exclusively breastfed and who have a familial history of allergic disease (i.e.
Clinical trials have demonstrated that the risk of developing atopic dermatitis is reduced when using hydrolysed formulas to feed infants with a documented risk of atopy (i.e. an affected parent and/or sibling)when breastfeeding is not practised.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: A pharmacoeconomic analysis was undertaken to determine costs, consequences, and cost-effectiveness of a brand of partially hydrolyzed 100%-whey formula manufactured by Nestlé (PHF-W), in the prevention of atopic dermatitis (AD) in 'at risk' Danish children compared to extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF-Whey or Casein).
Methods: Given the non-significant differences between PHF-W and EHF, the base case analytic approach amounted to a cost-minimization analysis (CMA) reporting the difference in formula acquisition costs over the period of formula consumption for the population of interest. However, sensitivity analyses (SAs) were undertaken to explore applying the nominal efficacy of PHF-W and EHF, thus leading to a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA).
Objective: A pharmacoeconomic analysis was undertaken to determine costs, consequences, and cost-effectiveness of a partially hydrolyzed 100% whey-based infant formula, NAN-HA®, manufactured by Nestlé S.A, Switzerland (PHF-W), branded under BEBA HA® in Switzerland, in the prevention of atopic dermatitis (AD) in 'at risk' Swiss children when compared to standard cow's milk formula (SF).
Methods: Based on a 12-month time horizon including 6 months of formula consumption, an economic model was developed synthesizing treatment pathways, resource utilization, and costs associated with the treatment of AD in healthy 'at risk' Swiss newborns who could not be exclusively breastfed.
Background: Pain is widespread, but has not yet been the focus of measurement in terms of patient preferences. This type of measure is needed for pharmacoeconomic analyses of pain medications.
Objective: Our objective was to compare scores from the Box Score (BS)-11 scale and the pain attribute of the Health Utilities Index (HUI)-3.
Background: Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness and visual disability. Few studies have examined persistence and adherence with topical medications in glaucoma patients.
Objective: The objective of this study was to compare patient persistence with prostaglandin agonist (PA) monotherapy versus with concomitant adjunctive therapy (AT) in Canada.
Objective: A pharmacoeconomic analysis was performed to determine costs, consequences and cost effectiveness of a partially hydrolysed 100% whey-based infant formula, NAN HA, manufactured by Nestlé S.A, Switzerland (PHF-W) and branded under Nidal Excel HA in France, in the prevention of atopic dermatitis (AD) in 'at risk' children when compared to standard cows' milk formula (SF) in France.
Methods: A decision-analytic economic model depicting AD treatment pathways, as well as resource utilisation and costs associated with the treatment of AD in healthy yet 'at risk' French newborns who cannot be exclusively breastfed was constructed for a 12-month time horizon, including an initial 6 months of intervention with formula consumption.
Objectives: This study presents previously unpublished point and cumulative incidence rates and relative risks (RRs) for comparing a partially hydrolysed 100% whey-based infant formula, NAN-HA * (PHF-W) to extensively hydrolysed whey- (EHF-Whey) or casein-based (EHF-Casein) infant formulas in the prevention of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants who cannot be breastfed exclusively. It also outlines methods to convert the above-mentioned data as well as data comparing PHF-W to cows' milk formula (SF) into inputs to be applied to a pharmacoeconomic model. * NAN-HA is a registered trade name of Nestlé SA, Switzerland.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: When laxative regimens have failed, methylnaltrexone may be indicated for the relief of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness receiving palliative care.
Objectives: A cost-benefit analysis (CBA), based on a willingness-to-pay (WTP) approach, was performed to determine if methylnaltrexone should be added to the formulary list of drugs being reimbursed by third-party payers in Canada for the treatment of cancer patients in palliative care suffering from OIC.
Methods: The WTP study had two components: a decision board explaining treatment options (Component A) and a questionnaire to measure individual WTP using a bidding game approach (Component B).
Background: Between July 1997 and April 1998, Canadian public health agencies switched from the whole cell vaccine to the acellular vaccine for pertussis immunization. The acellular vaccine provided better efficacy and fewer adverse events than the whole cell vaccine did.
Objective: To determine the economic impact of replacing the whole cell vaccine with an acellular vaccine in Canada.
Background. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) such as epoetin alfa and beta, and darbepoetin alfa have improved the management of anaemia secondary to chronic kidney disease. Numerous studies have reported a dose reduction when patients receiving dialysis were converted from epoetin to darbepoetin alfa using the starting dose conversion of 200:1 as indicated on the prescribing label by the European Medicines Agency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease that affects 240 per 100 000 Canadians. Of these patients, 10-80% (average 70%) experience pain. Sativex is a cannabis-based drug recently approved for neuropathic pain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common chronic disease with a lifetime prevalence estimated to range from 4.2% to 12.7%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Glaucoma is a fairly common disease, however, little is known about the costs associated with prostaglandin analogues (PAs). The costs between the three available PAs (Lumigan (bimatoprost), Xalatan (latanoprost) and Travatan (travoprost)) were compared as monotherapy and when adjunctive therapy was used.
Methods: From the Québec drug claims database, all patients who used these drugs for 1 full year were identified.
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease affecting approximately 50,000 Canadians. Although studies have described overall MS costs, none have focused specifically on MS-related pain.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of MS-related pain in Canada, the proportion of patients treated and responding to treatment for MS-related pain, and the associated economic burden.
Objective: To determine the cost effectiveness, from the Brazilian Ministry of Health viewpoint, of three antidepressant classes for major depressive disorder (MDD), and the budget impact of introducing serotonin-noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) into the current Brazilian national drug formulary, assuming a 6-month treatment duration.
Methods: An existing decision-tree model was adapted to Brazil, based on local guidelines. Clinical data were obtained from published meta-analyses.
Objective: Debilitating pain, occurring in 50-70% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, is poorly understood and infrequently studied. We summarized efficacy and safety data of cannabinoid-based drugs for neuropathic pain.
Data Sources: Studies were identified from Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases; Bayer Healthcare provided additional trials.
Background: To provide a recommendation on screening for glaucoma in Canada based on a review of recent evidence available in the literature.
Methods: A systematic literature review was performed to identify publications from MEDLINE, EMBASE, HealthSTAR, and Cochrane databases from 1990 to 2005. Relevant articles were categorized as economic studies, epidemiologic and intervention studies, or policy papers.
Objective: To summarize remission rates and dropouts due to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or lack of efficacy (LoE) of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in treating major depressive disorder.
Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, IPA, and the Cochrane International Library from 1980-2005. Meta-analysis summarized outcomes from head-to-head randomized clinical trials comparing >or= 2 drugs from three antidepressants classes (SNRIs, and/or SSRIs, and/or TCAs) followed by >or= 6 weeks of treatment.
Background: Health economic analyses have become important to healthcare systems worldwide. No studies have previously examined South America's contribution in this area.
Objective: To survey the literature with the purpose of reviewing, quantifying, and assessing the quality of published South American health economic analyses.
Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, exerting a tremendous health and economic impact on patients. In the present study, an economic evaluation of patients with PAH treated with either treprostinil or epoprostenol was performed.
Methods: A cost-minimization analysis (a cost-effectiveness subtype) was performed under the assumption that treprostinil and epoprostenol were clinically equivalent.