Faculty Collaboration Database

How HIV treatment advances affect the cost-effectiveness of prevention. Med Decis Making 2000;20(1):89-94

Date

01/19/2000

Pubmed ID

10638541

DOI

10.1177/0272989X0002000111

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0033988835 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   10 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The cost-effectiveness of an HIV prevention program depends, in part, on its potential to avert HIV-related medical care costs. Recent advances in antiretroviral therapy have made HIV/AIDS treatment both more effective and more costly, which might make HIV prevention either more or less cost-effective. The objective of the present study was to explicate the relationship between the effectiveness and costs of HIV treatment and the cost-effectiveness of HIV prevention programs.

METHODS: A basic analytic framework was used to compare the cost-effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions with respect to different HIV/AIDS medical care scenarios. Algebra was used to calculate a cost-effectiveness threshold that distinguishes prevention programs that become more cost-effective when therapeutic advances simultaneously increase or decrease the cost and effectiveness of treatment from those that become less cost-effective. Recent estimates of the costs and consequences of combination antiretroviral therapy were used to illustrate the calculation method.

RESULTS: The advent of combination antiretroviral therapies for HIV has increased the cost-effectiveness of some, but not all, HIV prevention interventions.

CONCLUSIONS: Whether a particular prevention program becomes more or less cost-effective as a consequence of advancements in the medical treatment of HIV/AIDS depends upon the specific characteristics of both the program and the therapy.

Author List

Pinkerton SD, Holtgrave DR

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Anti-HIV Agents
Cost-Benefit Analysis
HIV Infections
Humans
Life Expectancy
Male
Quality-Adjusted Life Years