[Innovation funding schemes and the structuring of health economic evaluation in France]. / Les dispositifs de soutien à l'innovation et la structuration de l'évaluation médico-économique en France.

Diffusion and reimbursement of healthcare strategies, drugs or medical devices are based on decisions made by public authorities and health authorities. In a situation of restricted resources and strict budget restrictions, decisions on innovative and costly health products must take into account not only efficacy and safety data, but also efficiency data. In France, generate health economics data to inform on efficiency can be obtain by different processes, resulting in an opportunity to develop, structure and finance health economic evaluation. However, the diversity of sources of funding and the specific requirements of each process make them difficult to understand. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of these sources, while highlighting their advantages and limitations. It also points the need to facilitate interaction between manufacturers, public authorities and the health economic evaluation organisations of health care institutions. The issue is to be able to mobilize the most appropriate system to produce relevant data at the most appropriate time.

Cost-Minimisation Analysis of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents in the Treatment of Anaemia in Dialysed Patients: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the cost impact of administering erythropoiesis-stimulating agents once every 4 weeks instead of one to three times a week to treat anaemia in patients undergoing dialysis. METHODS: This was a monocentric retrospective study involving 27 patients who underwent haemodialysis between 2009 and 2013 in a university hospital in Angers, France. The study was a cost-minimisation analysis from the hospital perspective. Only direct medical costs were considered. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that therapeutic management of anaemia with methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta would save medical and nurse time (7 days and 15 days per year, respectively) and reduce costs by €59,960 a year for an active file of 40 patients undergoing haemodialysis, assuming a 100% occupancy rate in the above-mentioned hospital. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that treating anaemia by administering erythropoiesis-stimulating agents once every 4 weeks instead of one to three times a week in patients undergoing haemodialysis would be beneficial for the hospital.