The growing importance of achieving national self-sufficiency in immunoglobulin in Italy. The emergence of a national imperative

Shortage of plasma-derived medicinal products: what is next? narrative literature review on its causes and counteracting policies in Italy

Introduction: This paper describes the peculiarities of the plasma-derived medicinal product (PDMP) market and illustrates the results of a review of the literature on policies aimed at counteracting the shortage of PDMPs. Characteristics of PDMPs: Plasma is primarily used for the industrial production of blood products (80%). The demand for PDMPs, particularly immunoglobulins (IGs), is increasing. However, the production of PDMPs is complex, long (7-12 months), and expensive, accounting, according to US estimates, for 57% of the total costs of PDMPs compared to 14% for small molecules. PDMP market: Unexpected increases in clinical need cannot be addressed in the short term. Once the demand for some diseases is satisfied, the collection and fractionation of plasma will only be used to supply some specific patients. Hence, the full weight of the marginal costs, which remain constant, are borne by a few products. According to last liter economics, the industry stops producing when the marginal revenue equals the marginal cost, thereby reducing the convenience of producing the most commonly used PDMPs (albumin and IG). The imbalance between the demand and supply of PDMPs was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which further increased the cost of plasma collection. Shortage issue and possible solutions: Policies to counteract this imbalance have also been discussed. If the demand is inappropriate, it should be reduced. If the demand is appropriate and supply cannot be increased, the demand should be prioritized for patients for whom PDMPs are the only available treatment. If the shortage depends on insufficient supply and technical and allocative efficiency, both production and supply should be improved, together with incentives for all stakeholders involved in the PDMP market to increase the sustainability of production/supply. The paper is focused on this second issue, that is supply-driven unbalance.

Immunoglobulin utilization in Canada: a comparative analysis of provincial guidelines and a scoping review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Canada has high immunoglobulin (IG) product utilization, raising concerns about appropriate utilization, cost and risk of shortages. Currently, there is no national set of standardized IG guidelines, and considerable variations exist among the existing provincial guidelines. The aims of this study were: (1) to compare the existing Canadian provincial guidelines on the use of IG products to identify their consistencies and differences and (2) to examine the existing research in Canada on IG supply and utilization following the establishment of IG guidelines to understand the scope of research and pinpoint the gaps.

METHODS

A comparative analysis accounted for the differences across provincial IG guidelines. We highlighted similarities and differences in recommendations for medical conditions. A scoping review of citations from MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases was conducted for studies published from January 01, 2014, to April 12, 2023.

RESULTS

While provincial guidelines represented a considerable overlap in the medical conditions delineated and relatively uniform dose calculations, numerous differences were observed, including in recommendation categories, provision of pediatric dosing, and divergent recommendations for identical conditions based on patient demographics. The scoping review identified 29 studies that focused on the use of IG in Canada. The themes of the studies included: IVIG utilization and audits, the switch from IVIG to SCIG, patient satisfaction with IVIG and/or SCIG, the economic impact of self-administered SCIG versus clinically administered IVIG therapy, and the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of alternative medications to IG treatment.

CONCLUSION

The differences in guidelines across provinces and the factors influencing IVIG/SCIG use, patient satisfaction, and cost savings are highlighted. Future research may focus on clarifying costs and comparative effectiveness, exploring factors influencing guideline adherence, and evaluating the impact of updated guidelines on IG use and patient outcomes.

Dealing With Immunoglobulin Shortages: A Rationalization Plan From Evidence-Based and Data Collection

Background

The demand and consumption of immunoglobulins (IgGs) are growing, and there are many difficulties in obtaining supplies. The aim of the study was to analyze the evolution of IgG consumption and cost over a decade, describe the measures implemented for clinical management in the context of regional public health system, and evaluate the initial impact of these measures.

Methods

We performed a retrospective longitudinal study including patients of all public health systems in Catalonia. First, we analyzed data on consumption and cost of IgGs during a period between 1 January, 2010 and 31 December 2021. Second, we analyzed the impact of a set of regional measures in terms of annual consumption and cost of IgGs. Regional measures were based on rational evidence-based measures and computer registries. We compared the data of year before applying intervention measures (1 January and 31 December 2020) with data of year after applying clinical management interventions (1 January and 31 December 2021). In addition, detailed information on clinical indications of IgG use between 1 January and 31 December 2021 was collected.

Results

Overall, in terms of population, the consumption of IgGs (g/1,000 inhabitants) increased from 40.4 in 2010 to 94.6 in 2021. The mean cost per patient increased from €10,930 in 2010 to €15,595 in 2021. After implementing the measures, the mean annual estimated consumption per patient in 2021 was statistically lower than the mean annual estimated consumption per patient in 2020 (mean difference −47 g, 95% CI −62.28 g, −31.72 g, p = 0.03). The mean annual estimated cost per patient in 2021 was also lower than the mean annual estimated cost per patient in 2020 (the mean difference was –€1,492, 95% CI –€2,132.12, –€851.88; p = 0.027). In 2021, according to evidence-based classification, 75.66% treatments were prescribed for a demonstrated therapeutic evidence-based indication, 12.17% for a developed therapeutic evidence-based indication, 4.66% for non-evidence-based therapeutic role indication, and 8.1% could not be classified because of lack of information.

Conclusion

The annual consumption and cost of IgGs have grown steadily over the last decade in our regional public health system. After implementing a set of regional measures, the annual consumption of IgGs per patient and annual cost per patient decreased. However, the decrease has occurred in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which may have influenced their clinical use. Managing the use of IgGs through a rational plan with strategies including evidence-based and data collection may be useful in a shortage situation with growing demand. Registries play a key role in collection of systematic data to analyze, synthesize, and obtain valuable information for decision support. The action developed needs close monitoring in order to verify its effectiveness.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply and use of blood for transfusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has major implications for blood transfusion. There are uncertain patterns of demand, and transfusion institutions need to plan for reductions in donations and loss of crucial staff because of sickness and public health restrictions. We systematically searched for relevant studies addressing the transfusion chain-from donor, through collection and processing, to patients-to provide a synthesis of the published literature and guidance during times of potential or actual shortage. A reduction in donor numbers has largely been matched by reductions in demand for transfusion. Contingency planning includes prioritisation policies for patients in the event of predicted shortage. A range of strategies maintain ongoing equitable access to blood for transfusion during the pandemic, in addition to providing new therapies such as convalescent plasma. Sharing experience and developing expert consensus on the basis of evolving publications will help transfusion services and hospitals in countries at different stages in the pandemic.