Bottom line: Sovaldi will not save the system money. It will cost money-a lot of money-to reduce premature mortality due to chronic hepatitis C infection.
"Research on the cost-effectiveness of Sovaldi is still in the early stages, but it appears that use of the drug has the potential to actually save money over the long run.” —New York Times UpShot column, Aug. 2
Nothing could be further from the truth.
A detailed analysis of cost-effectiveness studies, which appeared six years ago in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that about 1 in 5 medical interventions save money by reducing the need for other, more costly treatments. For instance, if you have elevated cholesterol and take statins, it reduces the risk of heart attack. A relatively cheap pill prevents a very costly intervention.
Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/1ymGM5S
Source: Modern Healthcare
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