Pharmacoeconomics and drug utilization research

This chapter examines the importance of pharmacoeconomics and how it is informed by drug utilization research. With an ageing population, increasing morbidity, and technological advances, the resources available to deliver health care for all in the future will be a challenge. Pharmacoeconomic analyses are commonly used to determine whether the use of a new drug is likely to represent value for money for the health care system. Health care payers are charged with the responsibility of deciding whether or not to fund particular therapeutic approaches, based on balancing the costs and benefits of the therapy. Health technology assessment is a multidisciplinary process that uses explicit methods to determine the value of a health technology at different points in its lifecycle. The purpose is to inform decision-making in order to promote an equitable, efficient, and high-quality health system. Drug utilization studies are often considered an alternative source of information on morbidity, based on specific treatment data.