Healthcare Expenditures for the Treatment of Patients Infected with Hepatitis C Virus in Japan

Real-world economic burden of hepatitis C and impact of direct-acting antivirals in France: A nationwide claims data analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The economic impact of managing patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the economic burden of chronic HCV infection from a national health insurance perspective and the impact of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) using nationwide real-world data.

METHODS

Patients with chronic HCV infection were identified from the French Health Insurance Claims Databases (SNDS) and matched for age and sex to the general population. Health resource utilization and reimbursements were summarized according to healthcare expenditure items from 2012 to 2021. The economic burden attributable to chronic HCV infection was evaluated over a 10-year period. Finally, the impact of DAAs was estimated using economic data derived from the SNDS.

RESULTS

A total of 145 187 patients with chronic HCV infection were identified. Among the patients eligible for DAA therapy, 81.5% had received DAA by the end of 2021. Over a 10-year period, managing patients with chronic HCV infection resulted in an additional cost of €9.71 billion (95% confidence interval [CI]: €9.66-€9.78 billion) or €9191 (95% CI: €9134-€9252) per patient per year compared to the general population. After DAA therapy, patients with chronic HCV infection had a higher economic burden than the general population, with an additional cost of €5781 (95% CI: €5540-€6028) per patient at the fifth-year post-DAA therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant economic burden persists among patients with HCV infection after DAA treatment. The high proportion of patients not treated with DAA therapy supports reinforcing policies for universal access.

Does improvement in the environmental sustainability rating help to reduce the COVID-19 cases? Controlling financial development, price level and carbon damages

The study's objective is to evaluate the impact of environmental sustainability rating, financial development, changes in the price level and carbon damages on the new COVID-19 cases in a cross-sectional panel of 17 countries. The study developed two broad models to analyse the relationship between the stated factors at the current level and forecast level. The results show that improvement in the environmental sustainability rating and financial efficiency reduces the COVID-19 cases, while continued economic growth and changes in price level likely to exacerbate the COVID-19 cases across countries. The forecast results suggest the U-shaped relationship between COVID-19 cases and carbon damages controlling financial development, price level and environmental sustainability rating. The variance decomposition analysis shows that carbon damages, environmental sustainability rating and price level changes will largely influence COVID-19 cases over the next year. The soundness of economic and ecological regulated policies would be helpful to contain coronavirus cases globally.