CRITICAL-APPRAISAL OF ECONOMIC EVALUATION S - THE EXAMPLE OF MISOPROSTOL-PROPHYLAXIS OF ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUG-INDUCED GASTROPATHY

Public and professional concern about the limited resources and increa sing costs of medical care in absolute and relative terms have stimula ted research on the costs and benefits of health care programs and int erventions. The identification of cost-effective alternatives requires the choice of the type of analysis, definition of the perspective, co mprehensive assessment of the costs as well as the effects and the cri tical interpretation of the results. These aspects are illustrated wit h the example of misoprostol-prophylaxis for NSAID-induced gastropathy . A summary of relevant criteria for an economic analysis in clinical practice is provided.