All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context
AIMS To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation , analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context .
Cost Effectiveness of Varenicline in Belgium, Compared with Bupropion, Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Brief Counselling and Unaided Smoking Cessation
Abstract Background and Objective : Varenicline is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist that is approved for use as an aid to smoking cessation . R and omized clinical trials show that its efficacy is superior to that of other current smoking cessation therapies . This study set out to determine the cost effectiveness of varenicline relative to other smoking cessation interventions ( bupropion and nicotine replacement therapy [ NRT ] ) as well as brief counselling alone and unaided cessation in a cohort of Belgian adult smokers making a one-time quit attempt , from the perspective of the healthcare payer ( public and private ) . Methods : A Markov model , the Benefits of Smoking Cessation on Outcomes ( BENESCO ) model , was applied to calculate the long-term health and economic benefits of smoking cessation . Cost effectiveness was expressed as cost per life-year ( LY ) gained and cost per quality -adjusted life-year ( QALY ) gained . Clinical and economic model inputs were obtained from the literature and public healthcare data bases . Costs were discounted at 3 % and health outcomes at 1.5 % . A probabilistic sensitivity analysis and a one-way sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results . Results : Varenicline is associated with a reduction of smoking-related morbidity and mortality as well as with a decrease in healthcare costs compared with the pharmacological agents bupropion and NRT . Varenicline also leads to additional LYs and QALYs compared with brief counselling alone and unaided cessation over a lifetime period . Varenicline is a dominant strategy compared with bupropion and NRT . Compared with brief counselling alone and unaided cessation , varenicline presents a cost/QALY of € 240 and € 1656 , respectively . Conclusion : Varenicline is a cost-effective alternative to brief counselling and unaided cessation , and is a cost-saving treatment in comparison with bupropion and NRT , in a Belgian population of smokers willing to quit
All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context
AIMS To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation , analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context .