Pharmacoeconomic aspects of replacement of original follitropin alfa with biosimilars in Assisted Reproductive Technologies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37800/RM.3.2023.86-90Keywords:
in vitro fertilization (IVF), recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH), biosimilars of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone, economic efficiencyAbstract
Relevance: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has recently provided great opportunities that medicine did not have before. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most effective way to overcome infertility, which helps to become parents in the most difficult cases. One of the main stages of IVF is controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) of the ovaries, carried out with follitropin biological preparations - the original recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) and its biosimilars. The safety, clinical, and economic efficiency of the original follitropin and its biosimilars are studied in comparative clinical and pharmacoeconomic studies. This review contains generalized data on the cost-effectiveness of the original drug follitropin alfa in European countries and does not compare data on clinical efficiency.
The study aimed to analyze the economic efficiency of using the original recombinant follitropin alfa and its biosimilars in assisted reproductive technology based on the results of pharmacoeconomic studies in the European market.
Materials and Methods: Clinical and economic efficiency publications were searched in the MEDLINE/PubMed databases, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. The PubMed, MEDLINE, and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched for evidence using the keywords “in vitro fertilization,” “recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH),” “r-hFSH biosimilars,” and “economic efficiency.” As a result, publications with the main research results in IVF were selected for inclusion in the review of the evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the original follitropin when using assisted reproductive technology.
Results: Post-marketing pharmacoeconomic studies conducted in European countries revealed the advantages of the original follitropin alfa drug (r-hFSH) over its biosimilars in terms of efficiency in achieving endpoints, in terms of better cost-effectiveness, which is evidence of the clinical and economic efficiency of using the original follitropin alfa drug rather than its biosimilars.
Conclusion: The original drug follitropin alfa has pharmacoeconomic advantages over its biosimilars in the settings of healthcare systems in European countries.
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