COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF NEWER ANTIVIRAL AGENTS FOR HERPES-ZOSTER - IS THE EVIDENCE SPOTTY

Famciclovir and valaciclovir were approved for use in the treatment of herpes tester despite controversy over antiviral therapy in tester du e to high costs and uncertain benefits. To explore these issues, a Mar kov decision model was developed, and the incremental cost effectivene ss of antiviral treatment for herpes tester was estimated using these agents compared with no antiviral therapy. A third-party payer perspec tive was taken. Sensitivity analyses were performed, modeling differen ces in antiviral efficacy, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) risk, and othe r illness parameters. Treatment of severely symptomatic acute tester w as found reasonable from a cost-effectiveness standpoint in base-case and worst-case scenarios. Treatment of mildly symptomatic acute tester was more expensive but would likely be considered cost effective in s cenarios where PHN risk was higher, PHN duration longer, or antiviral shortening of PHN greater. Further research comparing antiviral effica cy in herpes tester is needed.