ECONOMIC-ASSESSMENT OF DRUGS IN SPAIN

In order to assess the characteristics and influence on healthcare dec ision making of the economic assessment of drugs in Spain, pharmacoeco nomic studies carried out between 1982 and 1992 were examined. We iden tified and analysed 16 pharmacoeconomic studies. The commonest type of economic assessment was cost-effectiveness analysis. Only one study i ncluded measures of health-related quality of life. Only one study was carried out in conjunction with a controlled clinical trial. Evidence of influence on decision making was found in 6 studies. Two studies i mplemented hepatitis vaccination programmes, one set up a telephone fo llow-up of antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis, one developed the offici al procedures for using epoetin (recombinant human erythropoietin), on e initiated clinical discussion meetings about the cost effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering therapy, and one strengthened the decision to register nebacumab (HA-1A, Centoxin), the monoclonal antibody against endotoxin. The quality of the studies was acceptable according to gene rally agreed checklists, although somewhat lower than those in other c ountries with longer traditions in this field. Improvement of the scie ntific quality of the studies and an increased use of the results for decision making need to be promoted. At present the number of studies of economic assessment of drugs in Spain is low, as is the influence o f these studies on healthcare decision making. The movement of the Spa nish healthcare authorities towards a selective drugs funding policy i s likely to increase the number of studies and their impact on healthc are decision making.