Corsi di studio in
Farmacia - Chimica e tecnologia farmaceutiche

The course aims to provide students with the methodological basic principles and terminology necessary to understand and evaluate the results of pharmacoeconomic studies published in the literature. The main types of analysis used in the decision-making process for the economic evaluation of drugs and other treatments in healthcare system will be described and illustrated with examples.

At the end of the course the student will have to know the basic concepts of pharmacoeconomics and be able to read and understand the results of pharmacoeconomic studies published in the international literature. In addition, he will have to be able to apply the concepts learned by executing simple exercises in pharmacoeconomics.

Introduction to pharmacoeconomics.

The main types of pharmacoeconomic analysis: cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit.

Types of costs: direct medical, direct non-medical, indirect, intangible.

Types of effects: direct, indirect, intangible.

Definition of point of view of the analysis, time horizon, use of discount rate.

Determination of alternatives and consequences: choice of pharmacoeconomic analysis method, type of effects estimation (experts panel, clinical trial data, meta-analysis), assignment of monetary values ​​to consequences, definition of probability of consequences, application of decision analysis (use of decision tree and Markov model).

Sensitivity analysis.

Classification of clinical trials: uncontrolled trials, non-randomized controlled trials (with parallel controls, with historical controls, with controls from databases), controlled and randomized trials.

The experimental design: essential principles, randomization, blindness, control group (parallel groups, crossover, factorial, sequential), true and surrogate endpoints.

Statistics in clinical trials: statistical error (type I, type II), confounding factors, statistical power, sample size.

Cost-minimization analysis: when this type of analysis can be used. Examples from the literature.

Cost-effectiveness analysis: the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Examples from the literature.

Cost-utility analysis: when cost-utility analysis is to be used, the concept of “utility” and measurement scales (time trade-off, standard gamble, questionnaires), the QALY. Examples from the literature.

Cost-benefit analysis: monetization of health outcomes, the concept of "willingness-to-pay". Examples from the literature.

Analysis of the cost of illness and examples from the literature.

Pharmacoeconomics exercises: Cost minimization analysis – Perspective of analysis, Cost-effectiveness analysis - Calculation of ICER, Cost-effectiveness analysis - Decision tree, Cost-utility analysis - QALY.

Reading and critical analysis of an article from the literature.

The lessons will be carried out inthe classroom in the second semester.

Written examination consisting of two open questions and a practical exercise.

An alternative type of exam, to be agreed at least one month before the exam date, consists in the preparation of a report, relating to a pharmacoeconomics article indicated by the teacher, to be delivered by email at least three days before the exam date and to be discussed orally during the exam.