COMPARING THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENTS - BULIMIA-NERVOSA

We conducted an exploratory post hoc study that compared the cost effe ctiveness of five treatments for bulimia nervosa: 15 weeks of cognitiv e behavioral therapy (CB) followed by three monthly sessions, 16 weeks (Med(16)) and 24 weeks (Med(24)) of desipramine (less than or equal t o 300 mg/day), and CB combined with dysproteinemia for those durations (Combo(16) and Combo(24)). We illustrate how a treatment's cost effec tiveness varies according to when evaluation is done and how effective ness and cost are defined. At 32 weeks, Med(16) appears the most cost- effective treatment, and Combo(16) appears the least. At 1 year, Med(2 4) appears the most cost-effective treatment, and Combo(16) appears th e least. Using this post hoc analysis as an example, we discuss the pi tfalls and limitations of cost-effectiveness analysis of psychiatric t reatments.