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Tenni B, Lexchin J, Akaleephan C, Kittitrakul C, Gleeson D. The potential impact of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Prans-Pacific Partnership on Thailand's hepatitis C treatment program. Global Health 2024; 20:46. [PMID: 38867208 PMCID: PMC11170909 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-024-01053-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thailand has expressed interest in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a twelve-country plurilateral trade agreement whose original incarnation included the United States of America (USA). When the USA withdrew from this agreement, key intellectual property clauses relevant to pharmaceuticals were suspended. These could be reinstated should the CPTPP Parties decide to do so. METHODS This study uses two scenarios to cost the impact the CPTPP would have had on Thailand's 2020 hepatitis C treatment regime if Thailand joined the CPTPP and suspended clauses were reinstated. RESULTS Joining the CPTPP could have increased the cost more than tenfold if suspended CPTPP clauses were reinstated and Thailand was not willing or able to issue compulsory licenses. Based on the 2020 budget, the price for this possible scenario could have reduced hepatitis C treatment coverage by 90%. CONCLUSIONS Acceding to trade agreements such as the CPTPP that require increasing intellectual property protection, could compromise Thailand's hepatitis C program and other national treatment programs reliant on affordable generic medicines. The CPTPP could also prevent Thailand from relying on its own pharmaceutical capabilities to manufacture medicines needed to sustain its treatment programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Tenni
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Joel Lexchin
- School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Chutima Akaleephan
- International Health Policy Programme, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Deborah Gleeson
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
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Wasitthankasem R, Wanlapakorn N, Pimsing N, Posuwan N, Poovorawan Y. Simplified Test-to-Treat Strategy for Hepatitis C in Thailand: The Phetchabun Model. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:S198-S203. [PMID: 37703343 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnostic workflow and stringent criteria for universal health coverage are significant barriers to achieving HCV elimination in Thailand. A test-to-treat strategy using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for screening at point of care, followed by a qualitative nucleic acid testing, is a promising strategy to facilitate population-wide screening for HCV infection and expedite time to treatment. This strategy was evaluated in Phetchabun province, Thailand, where the HCV burden is relatively high. This simplified HCV test-to-treat strategy showed strong potential to be implemented at a national level. Several obstacles to implementation included the stringent criteria for universal health coverage, which prioritizes patients with advanced disease, the continuous policy revision for HCV treatment and care, the relatively low public awareness of HCV infection, and the lagging of government policy prioritization. All of these contribute to the delayed progress in hepatitis elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujipat Wasitthankasem
- National Biobank of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Nasamon Wanlapakorn
- Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Patum Thani, Thailand
| | - Napaporn Pimsing
- Phetchabun Provincial Public Health Office, Phetchabun, Thailand
| | - Nawarat Posuwan
- Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Patum Thani, Thailand
| | - Yong Poovorawan
- Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Patum Thani, Thailand
- Fellow of Royal Society of Thailand (FRS[T]), The Royal Society of Thailand, Sanam Sueapa, Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand
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Hansoongnern P, Pratedrat P, Nilyanimit P, Wasitthankasem R, Posuwan N, Wanlapakorn N, Kodchakorn K, Kongtawelert P, Pimsing N, Poovorawan Y. An amino acid substitution in HCV core antigen limits its use as a reliable measure of HCV infection compared with HCV RNA. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287694. [PMID: 37384719 PMCID: PMC10310030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a viral pathogen that causes chronic hepatitis, which can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Detection of HCV RNA is the standard method used to diagnose the disease and monitor antiviral treatment. A quantification assay for the HCV core antigen (HCVcAg) has been proposed as a simplified alternative to the HCV RNA test for predicting active HCV infection, with the aim of achieving the global goal of eliminating hepatitis. The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between HCV RNA and HCVcAg, as well as the impact of amino acid sequence heterogeneity on HCVcAg quantification. Our findings demonstrated a strong positive correlation between HCV RNA and HCVcAg across all HCV genotypes (1a, 1b, 3a, and 6), with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.88 to 0.96 (p < 0.001). However, in some cases, samples with genotypes 3a and 6 exhibited lower HCVcAg levels than expected based on the corresponding HCV RNA values. Upon the core amino acid sequence alignment, it was observed that samples exhibiting low core antigen levels had an amino acid substitution at position 49, where threonine was replaced by either alanine or valine. Core mutation at this position may correlate with one of the epitope regions recognized by anti-HCV monoclonal antibodies. The present findings suggest that the utilization of HCVcAg as a standalone marker for HCV RNA might not provide adequate sensitivity for the detection of HCV infection, especially in cases where there are variations in the amino acid sequence of the core region and a low viral load of HCV RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payuda Hansoongnern
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pornpitra Pratedrat
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pornjarim Nilyanimit
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rujipat Wasitthankasem
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- National Biobank of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Nawarat Posuwan
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nasamon Wanlapakorn
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanchanok Kodchakorn
- Thailand Excellence Center for Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Prachya Kongtawelert
- Thailand Excellence Center for Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Napaporn Pimsing
- Non-Communicable Disease Control Group, Phetchabun Provincial Health Office, Phetchabun, Thailand
| | - Yong Poovorawan
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Thailand (FRS[T]), the Royal Society of Thailand, Sanam Sueapa, Bangkok, Thailand
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Phisalprapa P, Tanwandee T, Neo BL, Singh S. Knowledge, attitude, and behaviors toward liver health and viral hepatitis-related liver diseases in Thailand. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e28308. [PMID: 34941122 PMCID: PMC8702093 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000028308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to quantify and evaluate the knowledge and awareness toward liver health and diseases as well as explore the attitudes and knowledge toward screening, diagnosis, and treatment of liver disease among the Thai population.This is a cross-sectional, self-reported and web-based questionnaire study. Awareness, perceptions and attitudes toward liver-related health and diseases as well as screening, diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases were assessed among 500 Thai adults.Respondents were mostly ≥35 years (62.0%) and females (52.0%). While there was an overall awareness regarding viral hepatitis as the main etiology of liver failure/cancer, respondents expressed misperceptions that hint at social stigmatization or discrimination toward infected individuals. A significant proportion lacked knowledge of liver screening tests and relevant diagnostic tests for viral hepatitis-related liver diseases. Screening or treatment costs and perception of being healthy were among reasons for not seeking medical consultation when exposed to risk factors or diagnosed. Treatment practices of hepatitis included prescription medication (59.1%), functional foods (51.8%) and traditional treatment (28.2%). Multivariate analysis identified income, recent health screening status and being diagnosed with liver disease(s) as significant predictors of the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of the Thai population toward liver diseases.This study highlighted a degree of misperception and lack of in-depth understanding toward hepatitis-related liver diseases including poor attitudes and knowledge toward screening, diagnosis, and treatment of liver diseases. Factors identified suggest an unmet need to encourage proactive health-seeking behaviors to reduce transmission risks of hepatitis-related liver diseases within the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pochamana Phisalprapa
- Division of Ambulatory Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Tawesak Tanwandee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
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Pedrana A, Howell J, Scott N, Schroeder S, Kuschel C, Lazarus JV, Atun R, Baptista-Leite R, 't Hoen E, Hutchinson SJ, Aufegger L, Peck R, Sohn AH, Swan T, Thursz M, Lesi O, Sharma M, Thwaites J, Wilson DP, Hellard M. Global hepatitis C elimination: an investment framework. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 5:927-939. [PMID: 32730786 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(20)30010-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
WHO has set global targets for the elimination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. However, investment in elimination programmes remains low. To help drive political commitment and catalyse domestic and international financing, we have developed a global investment framework for the elimination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The global investment framework presented in this Health Policy paper outlines national and international activities that will enable reductions in hepatitis C incidence and mortality, and identifies potential sources of funding and tools to help countries build the economic case for investing in national elimination activities. The goal of this framework is to provide a way for countries, particularly those with minimal resources, to gain the substantial economic benefit and cost savings that come from investing in hepatitis C elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Jessica Howell
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nick Scott
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sophia Schroeder
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Christian Kuschel
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ricardo Baptista-Leite
- Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Lisbon, Portugal; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Ellen 't Hoen
- Global Health Unit, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands; Medicines Law & Policy, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sharon J Hutchinson
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK; Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lisa Aufegger
- Centre for Health Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Raquel Peck
- World Hepatitis Alliance, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Annette H Sohn
- TREAT Asia/amfAR-Foundation for AIDS Research Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tracy Swan
- Independent consultant, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mark Thursz
- Department of Hepatology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Manik Sharma
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - John Thwaites
- Monash Sustainable Development Institute and ClimateWorks Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David P Wilson
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Doherty Institute and Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Due OT, Thakkinstian A, Thavorncharoensap M, Sobhonslidsuk A, Wu O, Phuong NK, Chaikledkaew U. Cost-Utility Analysis of Direct-Acting Antivirals for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 1 and 6 in Vietnam. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2020; 23:1180-1190. [PMID: 32940236 PMCID: PMC7491253 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2020.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Very few cost-utility analyses have either evaluated direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) on hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 patients or undertaken societal perspective. Recently, DAAs have been introduced into the Vietnamese health insurance drug list for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment without empirical cost-effectiveness evidence. This study was conducted to generate these data on DAAs among CHC patients with genotypes 1 and 6 in Vietnam. METHODS A hybrid decision-tree and Markov model was employed to compare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of available DAAs, including (1) sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, (2) sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, and (3) sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir, with pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin (PR). Primary data collection was conducted in Vietnam to identify costs and utility values. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated from societal and payer perspectives. Uncertainty and scenario analyses and value of information analyses were performed. RESULTS All DAAs were cost-saving as compared with PR in CHC patients with genotypes 1 and 6 in Vietnam, and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir was the most cost-saving regimen, from both societal and payer perspectives. From the societal perspective, DAAs were associated with the increment of quality-adjusted life-years by 1.33 to 1.35 and decrement of costs by $6519 to $7246. Uncertainty and scenario analyses confirmed the robustness of base-case results, whereas the value of information analyses suggested the need for further research on relative treatment efficacies among DAA regimens. CONCLUSIONS Allocating resources for DAA treatment for HCV genotype 1 and 6 is surely a rewarding public health investment in Vietnam. It is recommended that the government rapidly scale up treatment and enable financial accessibility for HCV patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ong The Due
- Mahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Health Strategy and Policy Institute, Ministry of Health, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Ammarin Thakkinstian
- Mahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Montarat Thavorncharoensap
- Mahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Social and Administrative Pharmacy Division, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Abhasnee Sobhonslidsuk
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Olivia Wu
- Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA), Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Usa Chaikledkaew
- Mahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Social and Administrative Pharmacy Division, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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[Who benefits from medical technical innovations? : A medical and medical economic analysis using the example of lumbar disc surgery]. DER ORTHOPADE 2019; 49:32-38. [PMID: 31089777 DOI: 10.1007/s00132-019-03747-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Further developments in disease diagnosis and treatment are of immense relevance for advancements in medical care of the population. A detailed cost-benefit analysis of direct and indirect costs is usually unavailable. In the current article, these aspects are investigated using prospectively collected randomized data over two years. Specifically, the surgical treatment of a herniated lumbar disc is addressed, and whether a newly introduced technique (e.g., annular closure device) can lead to a better quality of care and increased patient satisfaction when performed during the standard operation, while also being economically viable.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have been approved for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in China. However, they are substantially more expensive. The current analysis will investigate the cost-effectiveness of novel regimens compared with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PR) therapies for informing Chinese decision-makers. METHODS A Markov model was developed to measure economic and health outcomes of novel regimens for genotype 1b, 2, 3, and 6 HCV infections compared with PR treatment. Clinical, cost, and utility inputs were gathered from published sources. Discounted quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) are shown. The uncertainty was facilitated by one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. RESULTS For genotype 1b HCV infection, the combination of paritaprevir, ritonavir, ombitasvir and dasabuvir was cost-saving compared with four competing alternatives. The ICERs of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin for genotypes 2 and 3 were lower than the threshold ($18,234/QALY). Among available strategies for patients with genotype 6, sofosbuvir in combination with ribavirin was the cost-saving alternative compared with PR. The results were robust to sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS For both genotype 1b and 6 HCV infections in the context of Chinese patients, there were combinations of DAAs that were cost-saving compared with the usual PR treatment, and cost-effective for genotypes 2 and 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wu
- a Medical Decision and Economic Group, Department of Pharmacy , Ren Ji Hospital, South Campus , School of Medicine , Shanghai Jiaotong University , Shanghai , PR China
| | - Zhenhua Wang
- b Department of Gastroenterology , Ren Ji Hospital , School of Medicine , Shanghai Jiaotong University , Shanghai , PR China
| | - Qing Xie
- c Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital , Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , PR China
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