ESPE Abstracts

Background: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children is a rare condition, which requires pathogenic therapy. In Russia GH treatment (GHT) is part of a federal program called “Seven high expenditure diseases” (7HED) and is fully state funded. In the rare cases when a GHD child cannot be treated with GH, financial and medical support for the child and its family is provided by the state. It is therefore important to understand the cost-effectiveness of GHT for children in Russia.

Aim: To determine the cost-effectiveness of GHT for GHD children in Russia as part of the 7HED federal program.

Methods: Data of 50 GHD children from four different regions of Russia was analyzed. All children were treated with GH within the 7HED program. Treatment duration of at least 6 years was an inclusion criterion. The amount of GH used and treatment costs (GH therapy and monitoring) were studied. Incremental costs were determined between GHT of a GHD child and a program with no pathogenic treatment, but a state-funded financial and medical support instead.

Results: The median treatment costs of a GHD child (dosage 0,033 mg/kg/day) during a period of 6,95 years were 6,26 [4,91; 7,87] thousand (th.) Euro or 0,91 th. Euro per child per year. With monitoring included the costs were calculated to be 6,76 per child during 6,95 years or 0,99 th. Euro per child/year of which 7,05% were monitoring costs. An analysis of the alternative program showed that the total costs of financial and medical support amounted to 17,95 th. Euro per child per 6,95 years or 2,58 th. Euro per child/year, of which 1,2% were monitoring costs. Therefore, the incremental costs between a standard GH treatment program with medical monitoring included and a program with no GH treatment, but financial support and medical monitoring are 11,11 th. Euro per child per 6,95 years or 1,59 th. Euro per child/year.

Conclusion: This work has shown that the Russian federal “Seven high expenditure diseases” program is cost-effective for GH treatment of GHD children.