A Systematic Review of Discrete-Choice Experiments and Conjoint Analysis Studies in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Preferences for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder treatments: A conjoint analysis with neurologists in Spain

BACKGROUND

The treatment landscape for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has changed in recent years with the approval of therapies with different efficacy, safety and administration profiles.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess neurologists' preferences for different NMOSD treatment attributes using conjoint analysis (CA).

METHODS

We conducted an online, non-interventional, cross-sectional study in collaboration with the Spanish Society of Neurology. Our CA assessed five drugs' attributes: prevention of relapse, prevention of disability accumulation, safety risk, management during pregnancy, and route and frequency of administration. Participants were presented with eight hypothetical treatment scenarios to rank based on their preferences from the most preferred to the least. An ordinary least squares method was selected to estimate weighted preferences.

RESULTS

A total of 104 neurologists were included. Mean age (standard deviation-SD) was 37.7 (10.3) years, 52.9 % were male, and median time (interquartile range) of experience managing NMOSD was 5.0 (2.9, 10.8) years. Neurologists placed the greatest importance on efficacy attributes, time to relapse (44.1 %) being the most important, followed by preventing disability accumulation (36.8 %). In contrast, route and frequency of administration (4.6 %) was the least important characteristic. Participants who prioritised efficacy attributes felt more comfortable in decision-making, had fewer past experiences of care-related regret and a lower attitude to risk taking than their counterparts.

CONCLUSION

Neurologists' treatment preferences in NMOSD were mainly driven by efficacy attributes. These results may be useful to design policy decisions and treatment guidelines for this condition.

Decisional Conflict Regarding Disease-Modifying Treatment Choices Among Patients with Mid-Stage Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose

Shared decision-making is critical in multiple sclerosis (MS) due to the uncertainty of the disease trajectory over time and the large number of treatment options with differing efficacy, safety and administration characteristics. The aim of this study was to assess patients' decisional conflict regarding the choice of a disease-modifying therapy and its associated factors in patients with mid-stage relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods

A multicenter, non-interventional study was conducted. Adult patients with a diagnosis of RRMS (2017 revised McDonald criteria) and disease duration of 3 to 8 years were included. The level of uncertainty experienced by a patient when faced with making a treatment choice was assessed using the 4-item Decisional Conflict Scale. A battery of patient-reported and clinician-rated measures was administered to obtain information on symptom severity, illness perception, illness-related uncertainty, regret, MS knowledge, risk taking behavior, preferred role in the decision-making process, cognition, and self-management. Patients were recruited during routine follow-up visits and completed all questionnaires online using electronic tablets at the hospital. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted.

Results

A total of 201 patients were studied. Mean age (Standard deviation) was 38.7 (8.4) years and 74.1% were female. Median disease duration (Interquartile range) was 6.0 (4.0-7.0) years. Median EDSS score was 1.0 (0-2.0). Sixty-seven (33.3%) patients reported a decisional conflict. These patients had lower MS knowledge and more illness uncertainty, anxiety, depressive symptoms, fatigue, subjective symptom severity, a threatening illness perception, and poorer quality of life than their counterparts. Lack of decisional conflict was associated with MS knowledge (Odds ratio [OR]=1.195, 95% CI 1.045, 1.383, p=0.013), self-management (OR=1.049, 95% CI 1.013, 1.093, p=0.018), and regret after a healthcare decision (OR=0.860, 95% CI 0.756, 0.973, p=0.018) in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

Decisional conflict regarding the selection of a disease-modifying therapy was a common phenomenon in patients with mid-stage RRMS. Identifying factors associated with decisional conflict may be useful to implement preventive strategies that help patients better understand their condition and strengthen their self-management resources.

Preferences for Palliative and End-of-Life Care: A Systematic Review of Discrete Choice Experiments

OBJECTIVES

Understanding what matters most to patients and their caregivers is fundamental to delivering high-quality care. This systematic review aimed to characterize and appraise the evidence from discrete choice experiments eliciting preferences for palliative care.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was undertaken for publications up until August 2022. Data were synthesized narratively. Thematic analysis was applied to categorize attributes into groups. Attribute development, frequency, and relative importance were analyzed. Subgroup analyses were conducted to compare outcomes between patient and proxy respondents.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies spanning 11 countries were included; 59% of studies solely considered preferences for patients with cancer. A range of respondent groups were represented including patients (76%) and proxies (caregivers [35%], health providers [12%], and the public [18%]). A total of 117 individual attributes were extracted and thematically grouped into 8 broad categories and 21 subcategories. Clinical outcomes including quality of life, length of life, and pain control were the most frequently reported attributes, whereas attributes relating to psychosocial components were largely absent. Both patients and proxy respondents prioritized pain control over additional survival time. Nevertheless, there were differences between respondent cohorts in the emphasis on other attributes such as access to care, timely information, and low risk of adverse effects (prioritized by patients), as opposed to cost, quality, and delivery of care (prioritized by proxies).

CONCLUSIONS

Our review underscores the vital role of pain control in palliative care; in addition, it shed light on the complexity and relative strength of preferences for various aspects of care from multiple perspectives, which is useful in developing personalized, patient-centered models of care for individuals nearing the end of life.

Decision Making About Disease-Modifying Treatments for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Stated Preferences and Real-World Choices

BACKGROUND

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis can benefit from disease-modifying treatments (DMTs). Several DMTs are available that vary in their efficacy, side-effect profile and mode of administration.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to measure the preferences of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for DMTs using a discrete choice experiment and to assess which stated preference attributes correlate with the attributes of the DMTs they take in the real world.

METHODS

Discrete choice experiment attributes were developed from literature reviews, interviews and focus groups. In a discrete choice experiment, participants were shown two hypothetical DMTs, then chose whether they preferred one of the DMTs or no treatment. A mixed logit model was estimated from responses and individual-level estimates of participants' preferences conditional on their discrete choice experiment choices calculated. Logit models were estimated with stated preferences predicting current real-world on-treatment status, DMT mode of administration and current DMT.

RESULTS

A stated intrinsic preference for taking a DMT was correlated with currently taking a DMT, and stated preferences for mode of administration were correlated with the modes of administration of the DMTs participants were currently taking. Stated preferences for treatment effectiveness and adverse effects were not correlated with real-world behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

There was variation in which discrete choice experiment attributes correlated with participants' real-world DMT choices. This may indicate patient preferences for treatment efficacy/risk are not adequately taken account of in prescribing. Treatment guidelines must ensure they take into consideration patients' preferences and improve communication around treatment efficacy/risk.

Exploring patient treatment decision making for osteoarthritis in the UAE: a cross-sectional adaptive choice-based conjoint study

OBJECTIVE

To assess osteoarthritis (OA) patients' preferences for pharmaceutical treatment via Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint (ACBC) method.

METHODS

A United Arab Emirates (UAE) based Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group designed the ACBC questionnaire with 10 attributes and 34 levels. The questionnaire was developed using Sawtooth Software and analyzed through Hierarchical Bayesian (HB). Results were standardized using Z-score via SPSS.

RESULTS

Study participants were 1030 OA patients, 83.6% aged 50 or older and 83.4% female. The avoidance of medication's side effects accounted for 66% relative importance compared to 6% relative importance for the medication's benefits. The "way of taking the medicine" attribute had the highest coefficient of variation (70%) and the four side effect attributes "risk of gastric ulcer, addiction, kidney and liver impairment, and heart attacks and strokes" had a coefficient of variation from 18 to 21%.

CONCLUSIONS

Arab OA patients are similar to other ethnic groups in trading-off benefits and side effects and consistently prioritizing the avoidance of medications' side effects. Although the "Way of taking medicine" was the least important attribute it was associated with the highest variation amongst patients. OA patients also prefer prescribed medications to internet-purchased and over-the-counter options.

Individual Differences in the Patient Experience of Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS): A Multi-Country Qualitative Exploration of Drivers of Treatment Preferences Among People Living with RMS

AIMS

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences, values and preferences of people living with relapsing multiple sclerosis (PLwRMS) focusing on their treatments and what drives their treatment preferences.

METHODS

In-depth, semi-structured, qualitative telephone interviews were conducted using a purposive sampling approach with 72 PLwRMS and 12 health care professionals (HCPs, MS specialist neurologists and nurses) from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Canada. Concept elicitation questioning was used to elicit PLwRMS' attitudes, beliefs and preferences towards features of disease-modifying treatments. Interviews with HCPs were conducted to inform on HCPs' experiences of treating PLwRMS. Responses were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim and then subjected to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Participants discussed numerous concepts that were important to them when making treatment decisions. Levels of importance participants placed on each concept, as well as reasons underpinning importance, varied substantially. The concepts with the greatest variability in terms of how much PLwRMS found them to be important in their decision-making process were mode of administration, speed of treatment effect, impact on reproduction and parenthood, impact on work and social life, patient engagement in decision making, and cost of treatment to the participant. Findings also demonstrated high variability in what participants described as their ideal treatment and the most important features a treatment should have. HCP findings provided clinical context for the treatment decision-making process and supported patient findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Building upon previous stated preference research, this study highlighted the importance of qualitative research in understanding what drives patient preferences. Characterized by the heterogeneity of the RMS patient experience, findings indicate the nature of treatment decisions in RMS to be highly individualized, and the subjective relative importance placed on different treatment factors by PLwRMS to vary. Such qualitative patient preference evidence could offer valuable and supplementary insights, alongside quantitative data, to inform decision making related to RMS treatment.

The Role of Web-Based Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis Technology in Eliciting Patients' Preferences for Osteoarthritis Treatment

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility of using adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) analysis to elicit patients' preferences for pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), patients' satisfaction with completing the ACBC questionnaire, and factors associated with questionnaire completion time.

METHODS

Adult patients aged 18 years and older with a medical diagnosis of OA, experiencing joint pain in the past 12 months, and living in the Northeast of England participated in the study. The participants completed a web-based ACBC questionnaire about their preferences regarding pharmaceutical treatment for OA using a touchscreen laptop independently, and accordingly, the questionnaire completion time was measured. Moreover, the participants completed a pen-and-paper feedback form about their experience in completing the ACBC questionnaire.

RESULTS

Twenty participants aged 40 years and older, 65% females, 75% had knee OA, and suffering from OA for more than 5 years participated in the study. About 60% of participants reported completing a computerized questionnaire in the past. About 85% of participants believed that the ACBC task helped them in making decisions regarding their OA medications, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that they would be happy to complete a similar ACBC questionnaire in the future. The average questionnaire completion time was 16 min (range 10-24 min). The main factors associated with longer questionnaire completion time were older age, never using a computer in the past, and no previous experience in completing a questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

The ACBC analysis is a feasible and efficient method to elicit patients' preferences for pharmacological treatment of OA, which could be used in clinical settings to facilitate shared decision-making and patient-centered care. The ACBC questionnaire completion consumes a significantly longer time for elderly participants, who never used a computer, and never completed any questionnaire previously. Therefore, the contribution of patients and public involvement (PPI) group in the development of the ACBC questionnaire could facilitate participants' understanding and satisfaction with the task. Future research including patients with different chronic conditions may provide more useful information about the efficiency of ACBC analysis in eliciting patients' preferences for osteoarthritis treatment.

Treatment preferences in relation to fatigue of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis: A discrete choice experiment

Background

Treatment decisions for multiple sclerosis (MS) are influenced by many factors such as disease symptoms, comorbidities, and tolerability.

Objective

To determine how much relapsing MS patients were willing to accept the worsening of certain aspects of their MS in return for improvements in symptoms or treatment convenience.

Methods

A web-based discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in patients with relapsing MS. Multinomial logit models were used to estimate relative attribute importance (RAI) and to quantify attribute trade-offs.

Results

The DCE was completed by 817 participants from the US, the UK, Poland, and Russia. The most valued attributes of MS therapy to participants were effects on physical fatigue (RAI = 22.3%), cognitive fatigue (RAI = 22.0%), relapses over 2 years (RAI = 20.7%), and MS progression (RAI = 18.4%). Participants would accept six additional relapses in 2 years and a decrease of 7 years in time to disease progression to improve either cognitive or physical fatigue from "quite a bit of difficulty" to "no difficulty."

Conclusion

Patients strongly valued improving cognitive and physical fatigue and were willing to accept additional relapses or a shorter time to disease progression to have less fatigue. The impact of fatigue on MS patients' quality of life should be considered in treatment decisions.

Clinical Decision-Making for Appendectomy in Kosovo: A Conjoint Analysis

Objective: The objective was to investigate the association of clinical attributes with decision making for performing appendectomy and making preoperative preparations for appendectomy. Method: A conjoint analysis with 17 clinical scenarios was executed with surgeons employed at public hospitals in Kosovo. Setting: The study was conducted at two public hospitals in Kosovo that have benefited from quality-improvement interventions. Participants: The participants included 22 surgeons. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was the overall effect of clinical attributes on the decision to perform appendectomy and make the preoperative preparations for appendectomy. Results: In the regression analyses, several attributes demonstrated statistically significant effects on the clinical decision to perform appendectomy and on the practice of preoperative preparation. Conclusions: We found that several factors influenced the decision to perform appendectomy and the practices for preoperative preparation. Nevertheless, the small sample size limited our efforts to interpret the results. These findings could assist Kosovo in the design and implementation of future similar studies and in fostering quality improvement measures that address clinical decision making and the lack of process standardization in the delivery of surgical care.

Best-Worst Scaling and the Prioritization of Objects in Health: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Best-worst scaling is a theory-driven method that can be used to prioritize objects in health. We sought to characterize all studies of best-worst scaling to prioritize objects in health, to assess trends of using best-worst scaling in prioritization over time, and to assess the relationship between a legacy measure of quality (PREFS) and a novel assessment of subjective quality and policy relevance.

METHODS

A systematic review identified studies published through to the end of 2021 that applied best-worst scaling to study priorities in health (PROSPERO CRD42020209745), updating a prior review published in 2016. The PubMed, EBSCOhost, Embase, Scopus, APA PsychInfo, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were used and were supplemented by a hand search. Data describing the application, development, design, administration/analysis, quality, and policy relevance were summarized and we tested for trends by comparing articles before and after 1 January, 2017. Multivariate statistics were then used to assess the relationships between PREFS, subjective quality, policy relevance, and other possible indicators.

RESULTS

From a total of 2826 unique papers identified, 165 best-worst scaling studies were included in this review. Applications of best-worst scaling to study priorities in health have continued to grow (p < 0.01) and are now used in all regions of the world, most often to study the priorities of patients/consumers (67%). Several key trends can be observed over time: increased use of pretesting (p < 0.05); increased use of online administration (p < 0.01), and decreased use of paper self-administered surveys (p = 0.02); increased use of heterogeneity analysis (p = 0.02); an increase in having a clearly stated purpose (p < 0.01); and a decrease in comparing respondents to non-respondents (p = 0.01). The average sample size has more than doubled, from 228 to 472 respondents, but formal sample size justifications remain low (5.3%) and unchanged over time (p = 0.68). While the average PREFS score remained unchanged at 3.1/5, both subjective quality and policy relevance trended up, but changes were not statistically significant (p = 0.06 and p = 0.13). Most of the variation in subjective quality was driven by PREFS (R2 = 0.42), but it was also positively assosciated with policy relevance, heterogeneity analysis, and using a balanced incomplete block design, and was negatively associated with not using developmental methods and an increasing sample size.

CONCLUSIONS

Using best-worst scaling to prioritize objects is now commonly used around the world to assess the priorities of patients and other stakeholders in health. Best practices are clearly emerging for best-worst scaling. Although legacy measures (PREFS) to measure study quality are reasonable, there may need to be new tools to assess both study quality and policy relevance.

Patient-based benefit-risk assessment of medicines: development, refinement, and validation of a content search strategy to retrieve relevant studies

Introduction:

Poor indexing and inconsistent use of terms and keywords may prevent efficient retrieval of studies on the patient-based benefit-risk assessment (BRA) of medicines. We aimed to develop and validate an objectively derived content search strategy containing generic search terms that can be adapted for any search for evidence on patient-based BRA of medicines for any therapeutic area.

Methods:

We used a robust multistep process to develop and validate the content search strategy: (1) we developed a bank of search terms derived from screening studies on patient-based BRA of medicines in various therapeutic areas, (2) we refined the proposed content search strategy through an iterative process of testing sensitivity and precision of search terms, and (3) we validated the final search strategy in PubMed by firstly using multiple sclerosis as a case condition and secondly computing its relative performance versus a published systematic review on patient-based BRA of medicines in rheumatoid arthritis.

Results:

We conceptualized a final search strategy to retrieve studies on patient-based BRA containing generic search terms grouped into two domains, namely the patient and the BRA of medicines (sensitivity 84%, specificity 99.4%, precision 20.7%). The relative performance of the content search strategy was 85.7% compared with a search from a published systematic review of patient preferences in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. We also developed a more extended filter, with a relative performance of 93.3% when compared with a search from a published systematic review of patient preferences in lung cancer.

Conjoint Analysis: A Research Method to Study Patients’ Preferences and Personalize Care

This article aims to describe the conjoint analysis (CA) method and its application in healthcare settings, and to provide researchers with a brief guide to conduct a conjoint study. CA is a method for eliciting patients’ preferences that offers choices similar to those in the real world and allows researchers to quantify these preferences. To identify literature related to conjoint analysis, a comprehensive search of PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted without language or date restrictions. To identify the trend of publications and citations in conjoint analysis, an online search of all databases indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted on the 8th of December 2021 without time restriction. Searching key terms covered a wide range of synonyms related to conjoint analysis. The search field was limited to the title, and no language or date limitations were applied. The number of published documents related to CA was nearly 900 during the year 2021 and the total number of citations for CA documents was approximately 20,000 citations, which certainly shows that the popularity of CA is increasing, especially in the healthcare sciences services discipline, which is in the top five fields publishing CA documents. However, there are some limitations regarding the appropriate sample size, quality assessment tool, and external validity of CA.

Factors associated with treatment escalation among MS specialists and general neurologists: Results from an International cojoint study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) showed that therapeutic inertia (TI) affects 60-90% of neurologists and up to 25% of daily treatment decisions. The objective of this study was to determine the most common factors and attribute levels associated with decisions to treatment escalation in an international study in MS care.

METHODS

300 neurologists with MS expertise from 20 countries were invited to participate. Participants were presented with 12 pairs of simulated MS patient profiles described by 13 clinically relevant factors. We used disaggregated discrete choice experiments to estimate the weight of factors and attributes affecting physicians' decisions when considering treatment selection. Participants were asked to select the ideal candidate for treatment escalation from modest to higher-efficacy therapies.

RESULTS

Overall, 229 neurologists completed the study (completion rate: 76.3%). The top 3 weighted factors associated with treatment escalation were: previous relapses (20%), baseline expanded disability status scale [EDSS] (18%), and MRI activity (13%). Patient demographics and desire for pregnancy had a modest influence (≤ 3%). We observed differences in the weight of factors associated with treatment escalation between MS specialists and non-MS specialists.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide critical information on factors influencing neurologists' treatment decisions and should be applied to continuing medical education strategies.

Patient Preference Studies for Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment Along the Medical Product Life Cycle: Systematic Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Patient preference studies can inform decision-making across all stages of the medical product life cycle (MPLC). The treatment landscape for advanced prostate cancer (APC) treatment has substantially changed in recent years. However, the most patient-relevant aspects of APC treatment remain unclear. This systematic review of patient preference studies in APC aimed to summarize the evidence on patient preferences and patient-relevant aspects of APC treatments, and to evaluate the potential contribution of existing studies to decision-making within the respective stages of the MPLC.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies evaluating patient preferences related to APC treatment up to October 2020. Two reviewers independently performed screening, data extraction and quality assessment in duplicate. We descriptively summarized the findings and analyzed the studies regarding their contribution within the MPLC using an analytical framework.

RESULTS

Seven quantitative preference studies were included. One study each was conducted in the marketing approval and the health technology assessment (HTA) and reimbursement stage, and five were conducted in the post-marketing stage of the MPLC. While almost all stated to inform clinical practice, the specific contributions to clinical decision-making remained unclear for almost all studies. Evaluated attributes related to benefits, harms, and other treatment-related aspects and their relative importance varied relevantly between studies. All studies were judged of high quality overall, but some methodological issues regarding sample selection and the definition of patient-relevant treatment attributes were identified.

CONCLUSION

The most patient-relevant aspects regarding the benefits and harms of APC treatment are not yet established, and it remains unclear which APC treatments are preferred by patients. Findings from this study highlight the importance of transparent reporting and discussion of study findings according to their aims and with respect to their stage within the MPLC. Future research may benefit from using the MPLC framework for analyzing or determining the aims and design of patient preference studies.

Patient and neurologist preferences in the UK for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treatments: findings from a discrete choice experiment

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and compare patient and neurologist preferences for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treatments with respect to benefits and risks associated with common and novel disease-modifying therapies, including brain volume loss (BVL).

METHODS

Patients with non-highly-active RRMS and neurologists in the United Kingdom completed an online cross-sectional survey. Patients completed one discrete choice experiment (DCE) exercise and providers completed two, one focusing on treatment for non-highly-active RRMS and another focused on highly active RRMS. Respondents chose between two treatment profiles that varied on seven attributes identified in qualitative research: 2 year disability progression; 1 year relapse rate; rate of BVL; and risks of gastrointestinal symptoms, flu-like symptoms, infection and life-threatening event. Bayesian modeling was used to estimate attribute-level weighted preferences.

RESULTS

Patients (n = 144) prioritized slowing the rate of BVL, followed by reducing risk of infection, rate of 2 year disability progression and 1 year relapse rate. For non-highly-active patients, neurologists (n = 101) prioritized slowing the rate of BVL, followed by reducing 2 year disability progression, risk of infection and 1 year relapse rate. For highly active patients, neurologists prioritized lowering the 1 year relapse rate, followed by slowing the rate of BVL and 2 year disability progression. In all three DCEs, rate of BVL was approximately twice as important as reducing the risks of flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms and life-threatening event.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights similarities in treatment preferences for non-highly-active RRMS among patients and neurologists and differences in neurologists' preferences for treating non-highly-active vs. highly active RRMS. This research identifies BVL as a treatment outcome that should be discussed when physicians engage in shared decision-making with patients.

A Systematic Review of Discrete Choice Experiment Studies in Rheumatoid Arthritis Biological Medicines

Objective:

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease with various clinical characteristics. The introduction of biological drugs has enhanced the efficacy and increased diversity of treatment options. Considering the patients’ preferences in decision-making about treatment can improve their adherence. A discrete choice experiment is a type of conjoint method that can elicit preferences in more realistic scenarios. This article reviewed discrete choice experiment (DCE) studies to extract which attributes and levels were included in surveys. In addition, we focused on the process of designing surveys and the method that they used. Method: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Ovid (Medline) and ProQuest were systematically searched in order to find studies that evaluated rheumatoid arthritis patients’ preferences about biological medicines. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 1/1/1990 and 12/31/2019 were included. The included studies were analyzed using a narrative synthesis method and descriptive statistics.

Results:

A total of 7124 studies were initially found. After deleting irrelevant and duplicate studies, 15 studies were included. The most common attributes that were used in surveys were efficacy, adverse effect, route of administration, frequency of administration, and cost. Most studies used a literature review for developing attributes and levels. The median number of included attributes and levels were seven and three, respectively. Eight studies explained their experimental design while seven studies did not. Conditional logit and mixed logit were the most common methods for modeling reciprocally.

Conclusion:

Several aspects of DCE studies investigating biological drugs in RA were assessed. Explaining the sample size, experimental design, and qualitative work for developing attributes can improve this type of study.

The Impact of Reproductive Issues on Preferences of Women with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis for Disease-Modifying Treatments

BACKGROUND

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is an incurable disease characterised by relapses (periods of function loss) followed by full or partial recovery, and potential permanent disability over time. Many disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) exist that help reduce relapses and slow disease progression. Most are contraindicated during conception/pregnancy and some require a discontinuation period before trying to conceive. Although around three-quarters of people with RRMS are women, there is limited knowledge about how reproductive issues impact DMT preference.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to measure the preferences for DMTs of women with RRMS who are considering pregnancy.

DESIGN

An online discrete choice experiment (DCE).

METHODS

Participants chose between two hypothetical DMTs characterised by a set of attributes, then indicated if they preferred their choice to no treatment. Attributes were identified from interviews and focus groups with people with RRMS and MS professionals, as well as literature reviews, and included the probability of problems with pregnancy, discontinuation of DMTs, and breastfeeding safety. In each DCE task, participants were asked to imagine making decisions in three scenarios: now; when trying to conceive; and when pregnant.

ANALYSIS

Two mixed logit models were estimated, one to assess the statistical significance between scenarios and one in maximum acceptable risk space to allow comparison of the magnitudes of parameters between scenarios.

SAMPLE

Women with RRMS who were considering having a child in the future, recruited from a UK MS patient register.

RESULTS

Sixty respondents completed the survey. Participants preferred no treatment in 12.6% of choices in the 'now' scenario, rising significantly to 37.6% in the 'trying to conceive' scenario and 60.3% in the 'pregnant' scenario (Kruskal-Wallis p < 0.001). This pattern corresponds with results from models that included a no-treatment alternative-specific constant (ASC) capturing differences between taking and not taking a DMT not specified by the attributes. The ASC was lower in the trying to conceive scenario than in the now scenario, and lower still in the pregnant scenario, indicating an intrinsic preference for no treatment. Participants also placed relatively less preference on reducing relapses and avoiding disease progression in the trying to conceive and pregnant scenarios compared with a lower risk of problems with pregnancy. In the trying to conceive scenario, participants' preference for treatments with shorter washout periods increased.

CONCLUSION

Women with RRMS considering having a child prefer DMTs with more favourable reproduction-related attributes, even when not trying to conceive. Reproductive issues also influenced preferences for DMT attributes not directly related to pregnancy, with preferences dependent on the life circumstances in which choices were made. The design of the DCE highlights the benefits of considering the scenario in which participants make choices, as they may change over time.

An implantable device to treat multiple sclerosis: A discrete choice experiment on patient preferences in three European countries

BACKGROUND

Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) take their treatment via pills, injections or infusions. A novel mode of disease-modifying treatment administration, an implantable device, is under development. This study determined MS patient preferences for three modes of first-line treatment administration (implant, pills, injectables), and trade-offs regarding treatment characteristics.

METHODS

A survey including a discrete choice experiment was conducted among MS patients in the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. Respondents had to repeatedly choose between various treatment scenarios with four treatment characteristics: risk of relapse, reduction of disease progression, risk of side effects and mode of administration. Data was analysed using a panel latent class logit model.

RESULTS

Based on the preferences of 753 MS patients (response rate 7%: 753/11202), two latent classes were identified (class probability of 74% vs 26%). Persons with relapsing-remitting MS and who administered medication via injections generally preferred any treatment over no treatment. Patients who could walk without an aid were more likely to prefer no treatment. Reducing disease progression was the most important treatment characteristic class 1. Mode of administration was the most important characteristic in class 2. Patients were willing to accept an increase in risk of relapse and disease progression to get their treatment via an implant rather than injections. Predicted uptake was the highest for the implant, followed by pills, injections, and no treatment.

CONCLUSION

We found that a drug-delivery implant could be a potential addition to the MS treatment landscape: MS patients are willing to trade-off risk of relapse and disease progression for an implant, and predicted uptake for an implant is relatively high.

Attribute Selection for a Discrete Choice Experiment Incorporating a Best-Worst Scaling Survey

OBJECTIVES

Although literature exists on using qualitative methods to generate potential attributes for a discrete choice experiment (DCE), there is little on selecting which attributes to include. We present a case study in which a best-worst scaling case 1 (BWS-1) survey was used to guide attribute selection for a DCE. The case study's context was the decision making of professionals around the choice of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for children with limited natural speech.

METHODS

BWS-1 survey attributes were generated from literature reviews and focus groups. DCE attributes were selected from BWS-1 attributes. The selection criteria were: include mostly important attributes; create coherent descriptions of children and AAC systems; address the project's research aims; have an appropriate respondent burden. Attributes' importance was judged using BWS-1 relative importance scores.

RESULTS

The BWS-1 survey included 19 child and 18 AAC device/system attributes and was administered to N = 93 AAC professionals. Four child and five device/system attributes were selected for the DCE, administered to N = 155 AAC professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

In this case study BWS-1 results were useful in DCE attribute selection. Four recommendations are made for future studies: define selection criteria for DCE attributes a priori; consider the impact participant's perspective will have on BWS-1 and DCE results; clearly define key terminology at the start of the study and refine it as the study progresses to reflect interim findings; BWS will be useful when there is little existing stated preference work on a topic and/or qualitative work is difficult.

Incorporating patients' preferences in the value assessment of disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis: a narrative review

Introduction: Despite the increasing role of patients in the US healthcare system, patients have yet been engaged in the value assessment of their treatments, including disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS). The objectives of this review were therefore to summarize existing studies on cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) with quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and patients' preferences of DMTs for MS, and to discuss how to incorporate patients' preferences into the value assessment of DMTs.Area covered: We reviewed previous systematic reviews and conducted further search until November 2020 for studies on CEA with QALYs and patients' preferences of DMTs for MS. We identified the outcomes that were assessed or valued in the CEA studies and the DMT attributes that were important to patients with MS.Expert opinion: Our literature review showed that the studies using CEA with QALYs failed to capture some important DMT attributes, e.g., route and frequency of administration, identified in the studies on the patients' preferences. Various approaches were available for incorporating the patients' preferences in the value assessment of DMTs for MS. We supported this incorporation, which subsequently would increase patient access to preferred DMTs.

Disease Progression in Multiple Sclerosis: A Literature Review Exploring Patient Perspectives

PURPOSE

Multiple sclerosis (MS) prognosis is often uncertain. This literature review considers patients' understanding of, and perspectives on, MS progression to better comprehend the unmet needs of people with MS (PwMS), in order to improve treatment adherence and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

Literature searches for peer-reviewed papers concerning patient perspectives on the progression of MS and comparable conditions, published between January 2000 and January 2020, were conducted.

RESULTS

Little qualitative evidence exists that examines PwMS' perspectives on MS progression. The understanding and meaning ascribed to terms such as "disease progression" vary. Some PwMS find disease labels stigmatizing, confusing, and disconnected from reality. The lack of a clear definition of progression and discrepancies between PwMS and healthcare professional (HCP) perspectives may contribute to misunderstanding and poor communication. Patient descriptions of progression and relapses include symptoms in addition to those evaluated by standard severity and disability measures. Compared with HCPs, PwMS are still focused on relapse prevention but place higher priority on QoL and ascribe different relative importance to the causes of poor adherence to treatment plans. PwMS want to discuss progression and likely prognosis. Such communication needs to be personalized and delivered with sensitivity, at an appropriate time. Poor treatment adherence may arise from a lack of understanding and poor communication, particularly around treatment goals. The few studies that directly considered patient perspectives on the progression of comparable conditions supported and extended the perspectives of PwMS. Lack of adequate communication by HCPs was the most common theme.

CONCLUSION

Patient perspectives on disease progression in MS and other chronic progressive conditions are under-investigated and under-reported. The limited evidence available highlights the importance of providing adequate information and effective HCP communication. While further studies are needed, the current evidence base offers information and insights that may help HCPs to enhance patient care, well-being, and treatment adherence.

Innovative Medical Technology and the Treatment Decision-Making Process in Multiple Sclerosis: A Focus Group Study to Examine Patient Perspectives

BACKGROUND

Disease-modifying therapies are given to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to reduce disease progression and relapse frequency. Current modes of administration include oral, injectable and infusion therapy and the treatment decision-making process is complex. A novel mode of treatment administration, an implantable device, is currently under development, yet patient attitudes about the device are unknown. The aim of this study was 1) to understand the treatment decision-making process from the patient perspective and 2) to explore the possible acceptance of an implant to treat MS.

METHODS

Focus groups with people with MS were conducted in the Netherlands. Three topics were addressed: the treatment decision-making process, the current treatment landscape, and attitudes about the implantable device. All focus groups were recorded and transcribed and data were analyzed by raw data coding and creating themes. An online survey was conducted in the Netherlands to quantify interest in an implant.

RESULTS

Two focus group sessions were held (n=16 participants) and n=93 persons filled out the survey. The main theme that emerged was the constant uncertainty persons with MS face throughout their disease course and during treatment decisions (when to start, stop, continue or switch treatment). Patients were generally positive towards the implant but felt that efficacy and safety should be guaranteed.

CONCLUSION

People with MS want some form of control over their disease and treatment course. New medical technologies, such as an implant, may enhance the treatment landscape and with caution we postulate that it may be accepted by patients as a new mode of administration, though further research is needed. For medical technologies to be successful, patients should be engaged early on in the design process.

A Study Comparing Patient and Clinician Perspectives of Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis via Group Concept Mapping

BACKGROUND

Clinicians treating multiple sclerosis (MS) should consider patient preferences when making treatment decisions. An online mixed-methods approach to elicit patient-centered concepts, group concept mapping (GCM), was used to generate statements reflecting the patient experience in relapsing-remitting MS and identify the most important patient-centered outcomes from patient and clinician perspectives.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty patients and 12 MS specialists in the United States provided statements describing what an ideal treatment would do to improve symptoms and daily functioning. Statements were sorted by participants into meaningful domains and rated on importance on an 11-point scale.

RESULTS

Sixty-four unique statements supporting 6 domains of clustered concepts were generated. Patient and clinician ratings of importance were highly correlated (r=0.82); however, patients rated the domains of Activities of Daily Living, Prevent & Cure, and Address Symptoms as highest in importance, whereas clinicians rated Prevent & Cure, Safe & Effective, and Activities of Daily Living as highest in importance. Statements rated above the domain mean by both patients and clinicians included "Improve cognitive function" and "Improve motor function" in the Activities of Daily Living domain and "Help with memory issues" and "Help preserve cognition" in the Address Symptoms domain. The statement "Improve short term memory" was 1 of 3 statements rated above the domain mean by patients but below the domain mean by clinicians.

CONCLUSION

High levels of agreement of concept importance were found between patients and MS specialists, although certain domains and statements were rated more highly by one group. Overall, concepts such as cognitive function, physical and emotional functioning, and activities of daily living were perceived as having great importance for treatment outcomes versus symptom-focused outcomes like gait or tingling sensations. This comprehensive concept model for the MS patient experience can be used for further development of patient-centered outcome measures in MS treatment.

Systematic Review of Studies Using Conjoint Analysis Techniques to Investigate Patients' Preferences Regarding Osteoarthritis Treatment

BACKGROUND

The use of conjoint analysis (CA) to elicit patients' preferences for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment has the potential to contribute to tailoring treatments and enhancing patients' compliance and adherence. This review's main aim was to identify and summarise the evidence that used conjoint analysis techniques to quantify patient preferences for OA treatments.

METHODS

A comprehensive search strategy was conducted using electronic databases and hand reference checks. Databases were searched from their inception until 10th June 2019. All OA and CA related terms were used to conduct the search. The authors reviewed the papers and used the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) checklist to assess the quality of the included studies.

RESULTS

The search identified 534 records. Sixteen records were selected for full-text review and quality assessment and all were included in the narrative data synthesis. All included studies suggested that the severity of symptoms influenced the patients' preference for OA treatment. All included studies recognised CA as a useful method to investigate patients' preferences concerning OA treatment.

CONCLUSION

Patients preference for OA treatment is driven by the severity of patients' symptoms and the desire to avoid treatment side effects and CA is a useful tool to investigate patients' preferences for OA treatment.

Patient and Neurologist Preferences in the United States for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Treatments: Findings from a Discrete Choice Experiment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with central nervous system dysfunction and accelerated brain volume loss (BVL). There exists a paucity of research examining the importance of BVL to patients and neurologists and exploring whether such preferences may differ between these two groups. This study sought to evaluate the preferences of patients and neurologists for RRMS treatments by considering benefits and risks associated with novel and common disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

US patients diagnosed with non-highly active RRMS and US-based neurologists completed an online cross-sectional survey. A discrete choice experiment was used to assess patient and neurologist treatment preferences, with neurologists considering preferences for patients with non-highly active RRMS. Respondents chose between two treatment profiles with seven attributes identified in qualitative research: 2-year disability progression; 1-year relapse rate; rate of BVL; and risks of gastrointestinal symptoms, flu-like symptoms, infection, and life-threatening events. Attribute-level weighted preferences were estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian model.

RESULTS

Analyses included 150 patients with non-highly active RRMS (mean age: 54 years) and 150 neurologists (65% in private practice). Among patients, the most important treatment attribute was reducing the rate of BVL, followed by reducing the risk of infection and risk of flu-like symptoms. In contrast, the most important treatment attribute among neurologists was reducing the risk of a life-threatening event, followed by slowing the rate of 2-year disability progression and risk of infection.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight differences in treatment preferences between US patients and neurologists for non-highly active RRMS. The importance placed by patients on slowing the rate of BVL makes this a key topic that should be covered in the shared decision-making process.

Respondent Understanding in Discrete Choice Experiments: A Scoping Review

Introduction

Despite the recognised importance of participant understanding for valid and reliable discrete choice experiment (DCE) results, there has been limited assessment of whether, and how, people understand DCEs, and how ‘understanding’ is conceptualised in DCEs applied to a health context.

Objectives

Our aim was to identify how participant understanding is conceptualised in the DCE literature in a health context. Our research questions addressed how participant understanding is defined, measured, and used.

Methods

Searches were conducted (June 2019) in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO and Econlit databases, as well as hand searching. Search terms were based on previous DCE systematic reviews, with additional understanding keywords used in a proximity-based search strategy. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of health, related to DCE or best-worst scaling type 3 (BWS3) studies, and reporting some consideration or assessment of participant understanding. A descriptive analytical approach was used to chart relevant data from each study, including publication year, country, clinical area, subject group, sample size, study design, numbers of attributes, levels and choice sets, definition of understanding, how understanding was tested, results of the understanding tests, and how the information about understanding was used. Each study was categorised based on how understanding was conceptualised and used within the study.

Results

Of 306 potentially eligible articles identified, 31 were excluded based on titles and abstracts, and 200 were excluded on full-text review, resulting in 75 included studies. Three categories of study were identified: applied DCEs (n = 52), pretesting studies (n = 7) and studies of understanding (n = 16). Typically, understanding was defined in relation to either the choice context, such as attribute terminology, or the concept of choosing. Very few studies considered respondents’ engagement as a component of understanding. Understanding was measured primarily through qualitative pretesting, rationality or validity tests included in the survey, and participant self-report, however reporting and use of the results of these methods was inconsistent.

Conclusions

Those conducting or using health DCEs should carefully select, justify, and report the measurement and potential impact of participant understanding in their specific choice context. There remains scope for research into the different components of participant understanding, particularly related to engagement, the impact of participant understanding on DCE validity and reliability, the best measures of understanding, and methods to maximise participant understanding.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40271-020-00467-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Comparing clotting factors attributes across different methods of preference elicitation in haemophilia patients

INTRODUCTION

Emerging, systematic approaches for capturing patient input, such as preference elicitation, can provide valuable information for the benefit-risk assessment of medical products for treating bleeding disorders, such as haemophilia.

AIM

This study aims to identify existing and develop new methods to capture, rank and summarize preference scores for clotting factor therapies.

METHODS

Haemophilia patient preference data were compiled from studies identified through literature review and publicly available US FDA patient-focused drug development meeting documents. Text mining was performed to identify major themes across studies. A standardized preference score was estimated and aggregated.

RESULTS

Ten preference studies that employed qualitative (n = 3), and quantitative methods (n = 7) met the inclusion criteria. Text mining of qualitative and quantitative studies revealed similar themes as the standardized preference attribute importance. We found that seven quantitative studies employed discrete choice experiments (DCE)/conjoint analysis (CA) and examined a range of 5-12 attributes. For DCE/CA studies published prior to 2014 (n = 4), safety attributes (inhibitor and viral safety) were among the most important attributes, accounting for ~46% of the total utility measured. DCE/CA studies published after 2014 (n = 3) focused on frequency of infusion and reduction of bleeding risk, accounting for ~67% of the total utility. Interestingly, two studies that used different preference elicitation approaches (DCE and a monadic conjoint approach) both ranked infusion frequency as the most important attribute.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are few published patient preference studies for haemophilia, the results of this study can be viewed in the larger context of enhancing scientific methods of incorporating patient input in medical product development.

Impact of communication on first treatment decisions in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Disease-Modifying Treatments (DMTs) have contributed to a new clinical landscape for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS). A challenge for services is how to support DMT decisions with changing clinical evidence, and differing treatment goals. This article investigates how pwRRMS weigh up the pros and cons of DMTs by examining how communication at the point of diagnosis is related to DMT decisions.

METHODS

30 semi-structured interviews with pwRRMS in England were conducted using a theoretical purposive sampling strategy and analysed using the thematic approach to answer: How does communication about RRMS during diagnosis influence decisions about when and which DMT to choose?

RESULTS

Three meta-themes were identified: a) communication context; b) delayed communication and hope for people with "non-active" RRMS at diagnosis; c) people with "active" RRMS at diagnosis: Conflated, generic, selective and simplified information CONCLUSION: At the time of diagnosis, patient-physician interactions are characterised by emotions and information complexity. Clinical, social and psychological DMT filtering mechanisms are activated during first decisions. Personalised evidence is needed to make informed decisions.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Patient decision aids should consider first and consecutive decisions and should not encourage a false sense of large choices that could add to decision anxiety.

Assessing Pharmacists' Preferences towards Efficacy Attributes of Disease-Modifying Therapies in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Introduction: Hospital pharmacists are increasingly playing a critical role in the care of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about their preferences and perspectives towards different attributes of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). The objective of this research was to assess pharmacists´ preferences for DMT efficacy attributes. Methods: A multicenter, non-interventional, cross-sectional, web-based study was conducted. Preventing relapses, delaying disease progression, controlling radiological activity, and preserving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cognition were the attributes selected based on a literature review and a focus group with six hospital pharmacists. Conjoint analysis was used to determine preferences in eight hypothetical treatment scenarios, combining different levels of each attribute and ranking them from most to least preferred. Results: Sixty-five hospital pharmacists completed the study (mean age: 43.5 ± 7.8 years, 63.1% female, mean years of professional experience: 16.1 ± 7.4 years). Participants placed the greatest preference on delaying disease progression (35.7%) and preserving HRQoL (21.6%) and cognition (21.6%). Importance was consistent in all groups of pharmacists stratified according to demographic characteristics, experience, research background, and volume of patients seen per year. Conclusions: Understanding which treatment characteristics are meaningful to hospital pharmacists may help to enhance their synergistic role in the multidisciplinary management of patients with MS.

Summarizing Patient Preferences for the Competitive Landscape of Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Options

Objective. Quantitatively summarize patient preferences for European licensed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) disease-modifying treatment (DMT) options. Methods. To identify and summarize the most important RRMS DMT characteristics, a literature review, exploratory physician interviews, patient focus groups, and confirmatory physician interviews were conducted in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was developed and executed to measure patient preferences for the most important DMT characteristics. The resulting DCE data (n=799 and n=363 respondents in the United Kingdom and Germany, respectively) were analyzed using Bayesian mixed logit models. The estimated individual-level patient preferences were subsequently summarized using 3 additional analyses: the quality of the choice data was assessed using individual-level R² estimates, individual-level preferences for the available DMTs were aggregated into DMT-specific preference shares, and a principal component analysis was performed to explain the patients' choice process. Results. DMT usage differed between RRMS patients in Germany and the United Kingdom but aggregate patient preferences were similar. Across countries, 42% of all patients preferred oral medications, 38% infusions, 16% injections, and 4% no DMT. The most often preferred DMT was natalizumab (26%) and oral DMT cladribine tablets (22%). The least often preferred were mitoxantrone and the beta-interferon injections (1%-3%). Patient preferences were strongly correlated with patients' MS disease duration and DMT experience, and differences in patient preferences could be summarized using 8 principle components that together explain 99% of the variation in patients' DMT preferences. Conclusion. This study summarizes patient preferences for the included DMTs, facilitates shared decision making along the dimensions that are relevant to RRMS patients, and introduces methods in the medical DCE literature that are ideally suited to summarize the impact of DMT introductions in preexisting treatment landscapes.

Patient needs and preferences in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Considering the multiple treatments approved for multiple sclerosis (MS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA), determining a treatment strategy for patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) can be challenging. To date, an overview of the needs and preferences of patients at each treatment decision-making moment is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to examine the existing literature about the needs and preferences of patients with CIS and RRMS when making treatment decisions.

METHODS

A systematic search was done using Embase, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Eligibility criteria included whether the article described a study of adults with CIS/RRMS and reported patient needs or preferences regarding first-line disease modifying treatment (DMT) decisions. Publications were categorized by treatment decision: initiation of first DMT (D1), DMT adherence/discontinuation (D2a/D2b), and switch to a second DMT (D3). A separate category was created for stated preference studies such as discrete choice experiment methods to examine the relative importance of different treatment attributes. Publications were compared to identify key factors.

RESULTS

The search yielded 2789 articles after removal of duplicates and 434 full-text publications were reviewed for eligibility. Twenty-four articles fulfilled all criteria: n = 5 (D1), n = 12 (D2a), n = 13 (D2b), and n = 3 (D3); six articles studied more than one treatment decision. The need for social support is important during D1. The most commonly reported reasons for adherence/discontinuation/switch included forgetfulness, side-effects, and injection-related reasons. Eight articles described preference studies; the most important DMT attributes were efficacy, mode and frequency of administration, and side-effect profile.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the needs and preferences of CIS/RRMS patients regarding DMT attributes and non-treatment related attributes are important to improve treatment decision-making and reduce non-adherence. Studies are needed to understand patient preferences upon treatment initiation. Furthermore, preference studies should include attributes based on the patient perspective.

Perspectives of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis on Drug Treatment: A Qualitative Study

Background

Patients experience multiple sclerosis (MS) differently based on their disease type and other factors. This study aimed to explore the relative importance that patients with MS place on various attributes of MS drug therapies and to elucidate these patients' preferences regarding treatment characteristics such as administration, potential benefits, and side effects of the therapies.

Methods

Focus groups were conducted in Vancouver, Canada, with 23 adult patients with MS. Participants were interviewed in three groups based on disease category and MS treatment experience: treatment-naive, non-treatment-naive relapsing-remitting and non-treatment-naive progressive MS.

Results

Overall, the most important characteristics of MS drugs were effectiveness and side effects. As such, there is hesitancy about trying new-to-market drugs because the risks, benefits, and costs may not be well known. Participants valued stability in their treatment and generally did not want to take on the additional risk of trying a new drug if they felt that their current medication was providing benefit. Convenience and method of administration were secondary considerations that would generally be valued only if expected risks and benefits were considered equal or superior.

Conclusions

This qualitative study shows that patients consider the impact and likelihood of benefits and side effects first and foremost when making drug treatment decisions and that other factors, such as convenience and method of administration, are of secondary concern.