HELICOBACTER-PYLORI ERADICATION - COST-BENEFIT - THE CASE AGAINST

Helicobacter pylori is an important human pathogen, implicated in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer, and perhaps also in other non-gastrointestinal disease. There is little doubt that in peptic ulcer disease at least, there is a strong argument for its erad ication on both clinical and economic terms. The majority of subjects infected with Helicobacter pylori never develop clinically overt disea se, and it is this group that the clinical and financial benefit of er adication needs to be closely examined.