Cost-Effectiveness of Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation in Kazakhstan.

Abstract: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The implementation of effective technologies such as Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for patients at risk of sudden cardiac death requires additional health system resources. Objective: To assess the economic effectiveness of ICD in comparison with conservative tactics for preventing life-threatening rhythm disturbances in Kazakhstan. Methods: A Markov model was built with a time horizon of 35 years. Mortality and utility data were obtained from the available literature. The economic parameters of the model are based on the approved tariffs for medical services in Kazakhstan and clinical protocols. Following WHO recommendations, a willingness to pay threshold of three times gross domestic product per capita was used to assess cost-effectiveness. A discount rate of 3.5% was applied to both costs and benefits. To deal with parameter uncertainties and to provide robust analysis, a probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed, randomly varying all inputs subject to uncertainty assuming a statistical distribution. Results: The total costs in the primary prevention (PP) group by ICD implantation and in the control group were 8,903,786 tenges and 3,194,414 tenges, respectively. The discounted total quality-adjusted life-years saved (QALYs) in the ICD and control groups were 6.48 and 4.98, respectively. The indicator of incremental cost-effectiveness ratio amounted to3791604 tenge, which is below the willingness to pay threshold and indicates the cost-effectiveness of using ICD as a PP strategy in patients with sudden cardiac death risk factors in the health care of Kazakhstan. Conclusion: The ICD for the primary prevention of the development of life-threatening rhythm disturbances and sudden cardiac death is a cost-effective health technology from the position of a payer in the health care system of Kazakhstan.

A Review of Rare Disease Policies and Orphan Drug Reimbursement Systems in 12 Eurasian Countries.

Background: Despite international initiatives on collaboration within the field of rare diseases, patient access to orphan medicinal products (OMPs) and healthcare services differ greatly between countries. This study aimed to create a comprehensive and in-depth overview of rare diseases policies and reimbursement of OMPs in a selection of 12 countries in the Western Eurasian region: Armenia, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Latvia, The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed and an analysis of publicly available legislative and rare disease health policy data was undertaken in five focus areas: rare disease definition, newborn screening, registries, national plans, access to/reimbursement of OMPs. Results: Screening programs are broadly implemented but the number of screened diseases differs significantly (2-35 diseases), either between EU and non-EU countries, between EU member states and sometimes even within a single country. In most countries rare disease registries are operating with regional, national, European or worldwide coverage. The number of rare disease registries is growing, as a result of the National Plans (EU) and increased international scientific cooperation. France, Russia, and Poland have a centrally acting registry. National plans are present in all EU countries but implementation varies and is ongoing. The number of reimbursed OMPs in the selected countries ranges from nearly all available OMPs in the Netherlands, Germany, and France to zero in Armenia. Reimbursement rules differ considerably regionally and a trend is observed of reimbursement conditions getting stricter for expensive (orphan) drugs. Discussion: Inequality in patient access to new OMPs still exists due to variations in national policies, healthcare budgets, health insurance, and reimbursement systems. The observed differences are challenging for rare disease patients, health authorities and manufacturers alike. Progress can be seen, however, and international cooperation and harmonization is slowly but steadily expanding in the rare disease arena.

Malignant tumours of the central nervous system in Kazakhstan--incidence trends from 2004-2011.

In the article were observed the epidemiological aspects of malignant tumors of the central nervous system (MT CNS) in Kazakhstan in a retrospective study for the years 2004-2011. The material of the study was consolidated accounting data of oncology centers on patients with MT CNS (C70-72) with first time established diagnosis. Calculated were crude, age, standardized (world standard), aligned and predicted incidence of MT CNS among both male and female populations. It was found that over the studied period, there were 4,604 cases of MT CNS. The average annual crude incidence rate of MT CNS in total population was 3.7±0.10/0000. Trends in aligned incidence rates in the whole country had a tendency to increase (T=+0.9%). Defined levels of morbidity MT CNS in the whole population in different regions of Kazakhstan: low up to 2.870/0000, the average from 2.87 to 4.450/0000 and high from 4.450/0000 and above on the basis of which was given the space-time estimate. Age and sex differences in MT CNS incidence were also clearly established.