Cost–effectiveness of pregabalin: a UK perspective

Abstract

The management of epilepsy and neuropathic pain poses a substantial burden on individuals and society with significant healthcare resource implications. Pregabalin has been approved for add-on treatment of adults with partial seizures with or without secondary generalization and for central and peripheral neuropathic pain syndromes. New antiepileptic drugs, such as pregabalin, have higher acquisition costs than established 'off-patent' drugs, but boast advantages in terms of efficacy, tolerability and side-effect profiles. There is, however, scant health economic research concerning the use of any current antiepileptic drugs used to treat epilepsy and neuropathic pain. This article reviews the available data on pregabalin. There are currently insufficient data to draw conclusions on cost-effectiveness regarding its use in epilepsy, neuropathic pain or other nonepileptic conditions. Long-term retention studies and prescribing practices may give an indication as to the effectiveness and tolerability of pregabalin and consequent cost-effectiveness analyses may then prove useful.

A Systematic Review of Pharmacoeconomic Studies for Pregabalin

“…Of the 255 abstracts, based on the inclusion criteria, 56 were selected for further review in full text. In the past 11 years, 55 publications examined economic outcomes associated with pregabalin in FM or neuropathic pain . These 55 publications presented results from 53 studies.…”

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Effect of Pregabalin Versus Usual Care in the Treatment of Refractory Neuropathic Pain in Routine Medical Practice in Spain

“…There is a lack of naturalistic cost‐effectiveness studies comparing drug interventions within their licensed indication of NeP. Published economic evaluations generally compared direct or indirect comparisons from randomized controlled trials, like those comparing pregabalin vs gabapentin [30–32]. They concluded that pregabalin was shown to be more cost‐effective than generic gabapentin in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain from their National Health Service perspective.…”

“…In randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials, pregabalin demonstrated its efficacy for pain relief in patients with DPN and PHN, significantly improving mood symptoms, sleep, and quality of life [26–29]. Based on these clinical trials, in refractory patients, and using model simulations, pregabalin was more cost‐effective than gabapentin in patients with pain because of DPN and/or PHN [30–32].…”

Investigation of an Optimized Protocol for Brucine-Induced Seizure Model

“…According to World Health Organization (WHO), there are around 50 million people suffering from epilepsy globally [1]. Recurrent seizures often result in limitations in activities, anxiety, depression and impaired quality of life, and moreover, can increase the risk of death [2][3][4][5]. Nowadays, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the primary treatment for epilepsy, whereas 20% of patients are resistant to the AEDs.…”