Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).

<h4>Background</h4>Non-adherence to antidepressants generates higher costs for the treatment of depression. Little is known about the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist's interventions aimed at improving adherence to antidepressants. The study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness...

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Main Authors: Maria Rubio-Valera, Judith Bosmans, Ana Fernández, Maite Peñarrubia-María, Marian March, Pere Travé, Juan A Bellón, Antoni Serrano-Blanco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2013-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0070588&type=printable
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author Maria Rubio-Valera
Judith Bosmans
Ana Fernández
Maite Peñarrubia-María
Marian March
Pere Travé
Juan A Bellón
Antoni Serrano-Blanco
author_facet Maria Rubio-Valera
Judith Bosmans
Ana Fernández
Maite Peñarrubia-María
Marian March
Pere Travé
Juan A Bellón
Antoni Serrano-Blanco
author_sort Maria Rubio-Valera
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Non-adherence to antidepressants generates higher costs for the treatment of depression. Little is known about the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist's interventions aimed at improving adherence to antidepressants. The study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in comparison with usual care in depressed patients initiating treatment with antidepressants in primary care.<h4>Methods</h4>Patients were recruited by general practitioners and randomized to community pharmacist intervention (87) that received an educational intervention and usual care (92). Adherence to antidepressants, clinical symptoms, Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs), use of healthcare services and productivity losses were measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months.<h4>Results</h4>There were no significant differences between groups in costs or effects. From a societal perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the community pharmacist intervention compared with usual care was €1,866 for extra adherent patient and €9,872 per extra QALY. In terms of remission of depressive symptoms, the usual care dominated the community pharmacist intervention. If willingness to pay (WTP) is €30,000 per extra adherent patient, remission of symptoms or QALYs, the probability of the community pharmacist intervention being cost-effective was 0.71, 0.46 and 0.75, respectively (societal perspective). From a healthcare perspective, the probability of the community pharmacist intervention being cost-effective in terms of adherence, QALYs and remission was of 0.71, 0.76 and 0.46, respectively, if WTP is €30,000.<h4>Conclusion</h4>A brief community pharmacist intervention addressed to depressed patients initiating antidepressant treatment showed a probability of being cost-effective of 0.71 and 0.75 in terms of improvement of adherence and QALYs, respectively, when compared to usual care. Regular implementation of the community pharmacist intervention is not recommended.<h4>Trial registration</h4>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00794196.
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spelling doaj-art-04485262b957421ebe4b6a54bcf9331e2025-08-20T02:20:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0188e7058810.1371/journal.pone.0070588Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).Maria Rubio-ValeraJudith BosmansAna FernándezMaite Peñarrubia-MaríaMarian MarchPere TravéJuan A BellónAntoni Serrano-Blanco<h4>Background</h4>Non-adherence to antidepressants generates higher costs for the treatment of depression. Little is known about the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist's interventions aimed at improving adherence to antidepressants. The study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in comparison with usual care in depressed patients initiating treatment with antidepressants in primary care.<h4>Methods</h4>Patients were recruited by general practitioners and randomized to community pharmacist intervention (87) that received an educational intervention and usual care (92). Adherence to antidepressants, clinical symptoms, Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs), use of healthcare services and productivity losses were measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months.<h4>Results</h4>There were no significant differences between groups in costs or effects. From a societal perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the community pharmacist intervention compared with usual care was €1,866 for extra adherent patient and €9,872 per extra QALY. In terms of remission of depressive symptoms, the usual care dominated the community pharmacist intervention. If willingness to pay (WTP) is €30,000 per extra adherent patient, remission of symptoms or QALYs, the probability of the community pharmacist intervention being cost-effective was 0.71, 0.46 and 0.75, respectively (societal perspective). From a healthcare perspective, the probability of the community pharmacist intervention being cost-effective in terms of adherence, QALYs and remission was of 0.71, 0.76 and 0.46, respectively, if WTP is €30,000.<h4>Conclusion</h4>A brief community pharmacist intervention addressed to depressed patients initiating antidepressant treatment showed a probability of being cost-effective of 0.71 and 0.75 in terms of improvement of adherence and QALYs, respectively, when compared to usual care. Regular implementation of the community pharmacist intervention is not recommended.<h4>Trial registration</h4>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00794196.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0070588&type=printable
spellingShingle Maria Rubio-Valera
Judith Bosmans
Ana Fernández
Maite Peñarrubia-María
Marian March
Pere Travé
Juan A Bellón
Antoni Serrano-Blanco
Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).
PLoS ONE
title Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).
title_full Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).
title_fullStr Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).
title_full_unstemmed Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).
title_short Cost-effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression: a randomized controlled trial (PRODEFAR Study).
title_sort cost effectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention in patients with depression a randomized controlled trial prodefar study
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0070588&type=printable
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