Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia

Background: Carrier screening for cystic fibrosis is not widely available in Australia, partly due to concerns regarding its cost-effectiveness. The benefit of information from pregnancy to pregnancy has not been widely considered in existing cost-effectiveness analyses.Methods: A decision tree was...

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Main Authors: Norman, Richard, Van Gool, K., Hall, J., Delatycki, M., Massie, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25772
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author Norman, Richard
Van Gool, K.
Hall, J.
Delatycki, M.
Massie, J.
author_facet Norman, Richard
Van Gool, K.
Hall, J.
Delatycki, M.
Massie, J.
author_sort Norman, Richard
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Carrier screening for cystic fibrosis is not widely available in Australia, partly due to concerns regarding its cost-effectiveness. The benefit of information from pregnancy to pregnancy has not been widely considered in existing cost-effectiveness analyses.Methods: A decision tree was constructed estimating costs and outcomes from screening, including both initial and subsequent pregnancies. Effectiveness was expressed in terms of CF births averted. Costs were collected using a health service perspective. All costs and outcomes were discounted at 5% per annum.Results: Screening reduced the annual incidence of CF births from 34 to 14/100,000 births (an aggregate number of CF births of 100.9 and 41.9 respectively). In initial pregnancies, costs in the screening arm (A$16.6 million/100,000 births) exceed those in the non-screening arm (A $13.4 million/100,000 births). The incremental cost per CF birth in initial pregnancies is therefore approximately A$150,000. However, this was reversed for subsequent pregnancies, in that the pre-collected information reduces the incidence of CF in subsequent pregnancies at low additional costs.When aggregated, the results suggest screening is likely to be cost-saving.Conclusions: The introduction of national carrier screening for cystic fibrosis should be considered, as it is likely to reduce CF incidence at an acceptable (potentially negative) cost.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-257722017-09-13T15:22:40Z Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia Norman, Richard Van Gool, K. Hall, J. Delatycki, M. Massie, J. Screening Cost-effectiveness Australia Economic evaluation Cystic fibrosis Background: Carrier screening for cystic fibrosis is not widely available in Australia, partly due to concerns regarding its cost-effectiveness. The benefit of information from pregnancy to pregnancy has not been widely considered in existing cost-effectiveness analyses.Methods: A decision tree was constructed estimating costs and outcomes from screening, including both initial and subsequent pregnancies. Effectiveness was expressed in terms of CF births averted. Costs were collected using a health service perspective. All costs and outcomes were discounted at 5% per annum.Results: Screening reduced the annual incidence of CF births from 34 to 14/100,000 births (an aggregate number of CF births of 100.9 and 41.9 respectively). In initial pregnancies, costs in the screening arm (A$16.6 million/100,000 births) exceed those in the non-screening arm (A $13.4 million/100,000 births). The incremental cost per CF birth in initial pregnancies is therefore approximately A$150,000. However, this was reversed for subsequent pregnancies, in that the pre-collected information reduces the incidence of CF in subsequent pregnancies at low additional costs.When aggregated, the results suggest screening is likely to be cost-saving.Conclusions: The introduction of national carrier screening for cystic fibrosis should be considered, as it is likely to reduce CF incidence at an acceptable (potentially negative) cost. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25772 10.1016/j.jcf.2012.02.007 Elsevier unknown
spellingShingle Screening
Cost-effectiveness
Australia
Economic evaluation
Cystic fibrosis
Norman, Richard
Van Gool, K.
Hall, J.
Delatycki, M.
Massie, J.
Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia
title Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia
title_full Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia
title_fullStr Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia
title_full_unstemmed Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia
title_short Cost-Effectiveness of Carrier Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Australia
title_sort cost-effectiveness of carrier screening for cystic fibrosis in australia
topic Screening
Cost-effectiveness
Australia
Economic evaluation
Cystic fibrosis
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25772