COST-BENEFIT-ANALYSIS OF SCREENING FOR CO NGENITAL TOXOPLASMOSIS

A comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of possible screening strategies for congenital toxoplasmosis is necessary as a basis for the decision whether or not screening is efficient and socially desirable. The tot al costs of the disease in Switzerland were calculated for the year 19 90. Direct costs (all diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, includ ing care of handicapped children) and indirect costs (partial and tota l work losses in the future) were taken into account. Today, the direc t costs amount to approx. SFr. 20 mio per year (i.e. approx. SFr. 2.8 mio per million population). The indirect costs were calculated at SFr . 4 mio per year. Moreover, the costs incurred with three possible scr eening programs (1 test with all pregnant women, with 1, 2 or 5 additi onal tests, depending on the strategy) were estimated, together with t he concomitant cost savings. The financial resources needed for the sc reenings would amount to SFr. 7 mio-18 mio per year, depending on the strategy chosen. However, the possible savings would be in the range o f SFr. 4 mio-12 mio only. The possible savings are, in any case, of th e same order of magnitude as the costs for screening. Screening would become cost-efficient if costs for the serological tests could be lowe red.