Economic analysis of epilepsy treatment: a cost minimization analysis comparing carbamazepine and lamotrigine in the UK.

New anti-epileptic drugs differ from existing standard therapies not in their clinical efficacy, but in their side-effects profiles. To determine the relative economic value of these agents, one must compare drug costs, costs of resources employed in the management of adverse events, and costs associated with therapeutic switching. In this economic analysis, carbamazepine (CBZ) and lamotrigine (LTG) are evaluated in monotherapy treatment of partial and/or general tonic-clonic seizures in the UK. Adverse event and tolerability data are obtained from a published randomized controlled trial of CBZ vs. LTG. A Delphi panel of clinicians advised treatment patterns for adverse events. Cost data are obtained from public sources. Results show that CBZ therapy costs about one-third of LTG therapy (pound sterling 179 for CBZ vs. pound sterling 522 for LTG) even after the costs associated with the management of adverse events and therapeutic switching are considered.