Influenza in the school-aged population in Mexico: burden of disease and cost-effectiveness of vaccination in children.

BACKGROUND: The current national influenza vaccination schedule in Mexico does not recommend vaccination in the school-aged population (5-11 years). Currently, there are limited data from middle-income countries analysing the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination in this population. We explored the clinical effects and economic benefits of expanding the current national influenza vaccination schedule in Mexico to include the school-aged population. METHODS: A static 1-year model incorporating herd effect was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of expanding the current national influenza vaccination schedule of Mexico to include the school-aged population. We performed a cross-sectional epidemiological study using influenza records (2009-2018), death records (2010-2015), and discharge and hospitalisation records (2010-2016), from the databases of Mexico's Influenza Surveillance System (SISVEFLU), the National Mortality Epidemiological and Statistical System (SEED), and the Automated Hospital Discharge System (SAEH), respectively. Cost estimates for influenza cases were based on 7 scenarios using data analysed from SISVEFLU; assumptions for clinical management of cases were defined according to Mexico's national clinical guidelines. The primary health outcome for this study was the number of influenza cases avoided. A sensitivity analysis was performed using conservative and optimistic parameters (vaccination coverage: 30% / 70%, Vaccine effectiveness: 19% / 68%). RESULTS: It was estimated that expanding the influenza immunisation programme to cover school-aged population in Mexico over the 2018-2019 influenza season would result in 671,461 cases of influenza avoided (50% coverage and 50% effectiveness assumed). Associated with this were 262,800 fewer outpatient consultations; 154,100 fewer emergency room consultations; 97,600 fewer hospitalisations, and 15 fewer deaths. Analysis of cases avoided by age-group showed that 55.4% of them were in the school-aged population, and the decrease in outpatient consultations was largest in this population. There was an overall decrease in the economic burden for the Mexican health care system of 111.9 million US dollars; the immunization programme was determined to be cost-saving in the base, conservative and optimistic scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccinating school-aged population in Mexico would be cost-effective; expansion of the current national vaccination schedule to this age group is supported.

Antiretroviral purchasing and prescription practices in Mexico: constraints, challenges and opportunities.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the antiretroviral (ARV) market characteristics for drugs procured and prescribed to Mexico's Social Protection System in Health beneficiaries between 2008 and 2013, and compares them with international data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Procurement information from the National Center for the Prevention and the Control of HIV/AIDS was analyzed to estimate volumes and prices of key ARV. Annual costs were compared with data from the World Health Organization's Global Price Reporting Mechanism for similar countries. Finally, regimens reported in the ARV Drug Management, Logistics and Surveillance System database were reviewed to identify prescription trends and model ARV expenditures until 2018. RESULTS: Results show that the first-line ARV market is concentrated among a small number of patented treatments, in which prescription is clinically adequate, but which prices are higher than those paid by similar countries. The current set of legal and structural options available to policy makers to bring prices down is extremely limited. CONCLUSIONS: Different negotiation policies were not successful to decrease ARV high prices in the public health market. The closed list approach had a good impact on prescription quality but was ineffective in reducing prices. The Coordinating Commission for Negotiating the Price of Medicines and other Health Supplies also failed to obtain adequate prices. To maximize purchase efficiency, policy makers should focus on finding long-term legal and political safeguards to counter the high prices imposed by pharmaceutical companies.

Antiretroviral purchasing and prescription practices in Mexico: constraints, challenges and opportunities / Compras y prescripciones de medicamentos antirretrovirales en México: restricciones, retos y oportunidades

Objective. This study examines the antiretroviral (ARV) market characteristics for drugs procured and prescribed to Mexico's Social Protection System in Health beneficiaries between 2008 and 2013, and compares them with international data. Materials and methods. Procurement information from the National Center for the Prevention and the Control of HIV/AIDS was analyzed to estimate volumes and prices of key ARV. Annual costs were compared with data from the World Health Organization's Global Price Reporting Mechanism for similar countries. Finally, regimens reported in the ARV Drug Management, Logistics and Surveillance System database were reviewed to identify prescription trends and model ARV expenditures until 2018. Results. Results show that the first-line ARV market is concentrated among a small number of patented treatments, in which prescription is clinically adequate, but which prices are higher than those paid by similar countries. The current set of legal and structural options available to policy makers to bring prices down is extremely limited. Conclusions. Different negotiation policies were not successful to decrease ARV high prices in the public health market. The closed list approach had a good impact on prescription quality but was ineffective in reducing prices. The Coordinating Commission for Negotiating the Price of Medicines and other Health Supplies also failed to obtain adequate prices. To maximize purchase efficiency, policy makers should focus on finding long-term legal and political safeguards to counter the high prices imposed by pharmaceutical companies.

Objetivo. Este estudio analiza el mercado de los medicamentos antiretrovirales (ARV) adquiridos y prescritos a los beneficiarios del Seguro Popular entre 2008 y 2013, en México, comparándolo con información internacional. Material y métodos. Se analiza información sobre la compra de medicamentos por parte del Centro para la Prevención y el Control del VIH y el Sida (Censida) para estimar precios y volúmenes de compra de los principales ARV. Los costos anuales de tratamiento estimados fueron comparados con información del Global Price Reporting Mechanism (GPRM) de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, para países similares. Finalmente se revisaron los esquemas reportados en el Sistema de Administración, Logística y Vigilancia de ARV para identificar tendencias y proyectar el gasto en ARV hasta 2018. Resultados. El mercado mexicano de ARV está concentrado en pocos esquemas de primera línea y, aunque la prescripción es clínicamente adecuada, los precios son más altos que en otros países similares. El conjunto actual de opciones legales y estructurales disponibles para los formuladores de políticas para reducir los precios es muy limitado. Conclusiones. Las políticas de negociación han sido poco exitosas para disminuir los precios de los ARV en México. La Coordinating Commission for Negotiating the Price of Medicines and other Health Supplies y la integración de las guías de tratamiento han tenido impacto significativo en la calidad de la prescripción, pero moderado en la reducción de precios. Por ello es necesario buscar garantías jurídicas y políticas a largo plazo para hacer frente a los altos precios de los ARV.