The Utility of a Rapid Review Evaluation Process to a National HTA Agency.

Background And Objective: In Ireland, similar to other jurisdictions, health technology assessment (HTA) is used to inform the health payer's drug reimbursement decisions. These HTAs are conducted by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). In 2009, the NCPE introduced the Rapid Review process to identify drugs that do not require further assessment in the form of the previously established full HTA process.

Estimating the Theoretical Cost Implications of Funding New Drugs Considered Not to Be Cost-Effective.

This study aims to estimate the theoretical excess expenditure that would be incurred by the Irish state-payer, should drugs be reimbursed at their original asking ("list") price rather than at a price at which the drug is considered cost-effective. In Ireland, all new drugs are evaluated by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. For this study, drugs that were submitted by pharmaceutical companies from 2012 to 2017 and considered not cost-effective at list price were reviewed.

Coronavirus Disease 2019: Considerations for Health Technology Assessment From the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics Review Group.

It is expected that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will leave large deficits in the budgets of many jurisdictions. Funding for other treatments, in particular new treatments, may become more constrained than previously expected. Therefore, a robust health technology assessment (HTA) system is vital.

A retrospective analysis of budget impact models submitted to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics in Ireland.

Background: The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) is a National HTA Agency in Ireland responsible for assessment of comparative clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and potential budget impact of drugs on behalf of the Health Service Executive. This research aims to assess if the budget impact models submitted to the NCPE have accurate predicted utilisation, assess if the models are consistent in the parameters included, and determine if probabilistic sensitivity analyses would aid the characterization of uncertainty.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of budget impact models that had been submitted (January 2010-December 2017 inclusive) to the NCPE was performed.

Health Technology Assessment of Drugs in Ireland: An Analysis of Timelines.

Background: The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) is commissioned by the Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit of the Health Service Executive (HSE-CPU) to assess the evidence for the comparative effectiveness and cost effectiveness of drugs for use by patients in Ireland. All new drugs are required to undergo rapid review (RR) appraisal by the NCPE. Following this, high-cost drugs or those predicted to have a significant budget impact then undergo a full health technology assessment (HTA) appraisal by the NCPE.

Analysis of Health Technology Assessments of Orphan Drugs in Ireland from 2012 to 2017.

Background: In Ireland, health technology assessment (HTA) submissions for orphan drugs or drugs for rare diseases have increased in recent years but have not been explicitly analysed. All evaluations are conducted by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to ascertain the number of orphan drug submissions to the NCPE and determine how these drugs proceeded through the NCPE critical evaluation process compared with non-orphan drug submissions.

Acute herpes zoster and post herpetic neuralgia in primary care: a study of diagnosis, treatment and cost.

Acute herpes zoster and its complication post herpetic neuralgia represent a significant challenge to primary care physicians in their care of an ageing population of patients. This was a cross-sectional observational study by means of a quantitative survey of 1,000 general practitioners registered in Ireland exploring the frequency of diagnosis, methods of treatment and cost of AHZ and PHN in primary care. We recorded an 18% response rate (n = 184) with an 83% completion rate (n = 152/184).

A retrospective cohort analysis of hypoglycaemic and cardiovascular agent use in young adults in the Irish primary care setting.

Aim: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in young adults is increasing, yet little is known about medication use in this population. This study aimed to describe hypoglycaemic and cardiovascular treatment patterns in young adults newly treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study from 2008-2011 was conducted using the Irish national pharmacy claims database.

Improved standardization and potential for shortened time to results with BD Kiestra™ total laboratory automation of early urine cultures: A prospective comparison with manual processing.

We compared the results of 505 urine specimens prospectively processed by both conventional manual processing (MP) with 16-24h incubation to BD Kiestra™ Total Laboratory Automation (TLA) system with a shortened incubation of 14h: 97% of culture results were clinically concordant. TLA processing was associated with improved standardization of time of first culture reading and total incubation time.

The impact of initial antidiabetic agent and use of monitoring agents on prescription costs in newly treated type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort analysis.

Aims: To measure the costs associated with the use of antidiabetic agents, monitoring materials and cardiovascular disease (CVD) agents in the management of newly treated type 2 diabetes, and to investigate the factors associated with these costs.

Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Irish national pharmacy claims database. Newly treated patients were identified for 2012 and followed for one year post treatment initiation.

Cost-effectiveness of natriuretic peptide-based screening and collaborative care: a report from the STOP-HF (St Vincent's Screening TO Prevent Heart Failure) study.

Aims: Prevention of cardiovascular disease and heart failure (HF) in a cost-effective manner is a public health goal. This work aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of the St Vincent's Screening TO Prevent Heart Failure (STOP-HF) intervention.

Methods And Results: This is a substudy of 1054 participants with cardiovascular risk factors [median age 65.

Initial therapy, persistence and regimen change in a cohort of newly treated type 2 diabetes patients.

Aims: The aim was to describe the utilization of antidiabetic agents, in terms of persistence and regimen change, in the management of a cohort of newly treated type 2 diabetes patients and to investigate associated socio-demographic and treatment factors.

Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the national pharmacy claims database in Ireland. Subjects were analyzed for persistence and regimen change.

Natriuretic peptide-based screening and collaborative care for heart failure: the STOP-HF randomized trial.

Importance: Prevention strategies for heart failure are needed.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of a screening program using brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and collaborative care in an at-risk population in reducing newly diagnosed heart failure and prevalence of significant left ventricular (LV) systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The St Vincent's Screening to Prevent Heart Failure Study, a parallel-group randomized trial involving 1374 participants with cardiovascular risk factors (mean age, 64.

Using resource modelling to inform decision making and service planning: the case of colorectal cancer screening in Ireland.

Background: Organised colorectal cancer screening is likely to be cost-effective, but cost-effectiveness results alone may not help policy makers to make decisions about programme feasibility or service providers to plan programme delivery. For these purposes, estimates of the impact on the health services of actually introducing screening in the target population would be helpful. However, these types of analyses are rarely reported.

Proton pump inhibitors: potential cost reductions by applying prescribing guidelines.

Background: There are concerns that proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are being over prescribed in both primary and secondary care. This study aims to establish potential cost savings in a community drug scheme for a one year period according to published clinical and cost-effective guidelines for PPI prescribing.

Methods: Retrospective population-based cohort study in the Republic of Ireland using the Health Services Executive (HSE) Primary Care Reimbursement Services (PCRS) pharmacy claims database.

Cost containment interventions introduced on the community drugs schemes in Ireland-evaluation of expenditure trends using a national prescription claims database.

Background: The majority of pharmaceutical expenditure in Ireland occurs in the community for services provided by general practitioners and pharmacists. In the current national and international economic climate, it is anticipated that demand on these services will continue to grow.

Objective: The aim of this article was to examine trends in expenditure of pharmaceuticals on the Community Drugs Schemes from 2005 to 2010, and to examine the impact of cost-containment interventions on expenditures that were introduced at this time and affected the pricing mechanism for pharmaceuticals in Ireland.

Cost-effectiveness of population-based screening for colorectal cancer: a comparison of guaiac-based faecal occult blood testing, faecal immunochemical testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy.

Background: Several colorectal cancer-screening tests are available, but it is uncertain which provides the best balance of risks and benefits within a screening programme. We evaluated cost-effectiveness of a population-based screening programme in Ireland based on (i) biennial guaiac-based faecal occult blood testing (gFOBT) at ages 55-74, with reflex faecal immunochemical testing (FIT); (ii) biennial FIT at ages 55-74; and (iii) once-only flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSIG) at age 60.

Methods: A state-transition model was used to estimate costs and outcomes for each screening scenario vs no screening.

Cost-effectiveness of universal rotavirus vaccination in reducing rotavirus gastroenteritis in Ireland.

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of universal infant rotavirus (RV) vaccination compared to current standard of care of "no vaccination". Two RV vaccines are currently licensed in Ireland: Rotarix and RotaTeq. A cohort model used in several European countries was adapted using Irish epidemiological, resource utilisation and cost data.

Cost of care for colorectal cancer in Ireland: a health care payer perspective.

Objective: Management options for colorectal cancer have expanded in recent years. We estimated average lifetime cost of care for colorectal cancer in Ireland in 2008, from the health care payer perspective.

Method: A decision tree model was developed in Microsoft EXCEL.

Comparing policies to enhance prescribing efficiency in Europe through increasing generic utilization: changes seen and global implications.

Aim: The aim of this article was to evaluate the influence of different demand-side measures to enhance the prescribing of generics in ambulatory care based on cross-national comparisons.

Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted using administrative databases from across Europe, documenting changes in reimbursed utilization and expenditure of different proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and statins between 2001 and 2007, alongside different reforms to enhance prescribing efficiency. Utilization was converted to defined daily doses (DDDs) and expenditures were converted to euros.

Health Technology Assessment International 7th Annual Meeting: Dublin, Ireland, 6–9 June 2010.

A record number of delegates from industry, academia and health policy convened at the 7th Annual Meeting of Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) which was held in Dublin, Ireland in June 2010. The theme of this year's meeting was 'Maximizing the Value of HTA'. The scientific program covered a broad range of topics from coverage with evidence development to timeliness of conducting HTAs, early engagement with stakeholders, value of information analysis, patient involvement and international collaboration.