Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.

Globally, there are approximately 58 million people with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) but only 20% have been diagnosed. HCV self-testing (HCVST) could reach those who have never been tested and increase uptake of HCV testing services. We compared cost per HCV viraemic diagnosis or cure...

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Main Authors: Josephine G Walker, Elena Ivanova, Muhammad S Jamil, Jason J Ong, Philippa Easterbrook, Emmanuel Fajardo, Cheryl Case Johnson, Niklas Luhmann, Fern Terris-Prestholt, Peter Vickerman, Sonjelle Shilton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0001667&type=printable
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author Josephine G Walker
Elena Ivanova
Muhammad S Jamil
Jason J Ong
Philippa Easterbrook
Emmanuel Fajardo
Cheryl Case Johnson
Niklas Luhmann
Fern Terris-Prestholt
Peter Vickerman
Sonjelle Shilton
author_facet Josephine G Walker
Elena Ivanova
Muhammad S Jamil
Jason J Ong
Philippa Easterbrook
Emmanuel Fajardo
Cheryl Case Johnson
Niklas Luhmann
Fern Terris-Prestholt
Peter Vickerman
Sonjelle Shilton
author_sort Josephine G Walker
collection DOAJ
description Globally, there are approximately 58 million people with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) but only 20% have been diagnosed. HCV self-testing (HCVST) could reach those who have never been tested and increase uptake of HCV testing services. We compared cost per HCV viraemic diagnosis or cure for HCVST versus facility-based HCV testing services. We used a decision analysis model with a one-year time horizon to examine the key drivers of economic cost per diagnosis or cure following the introduction of HCVST in China (men who have sex with men), Georgia (men 40-49 years), Viet Nam (people who inject drugs, PWID), and Kenya (PWID). HCV antibody (HCVAb) prevalence ranged from 1%-60% across settings. Model parameters in each setting were informed by HCV testing and treatment programmes, HIV self-testing programmes, and expert opinion. In the base case, we assume a reactive HCVST is followed by a facility-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and then nucleic acid testing (NAT). We assumed oral-fluid HCVST costs of $5.63/unit ($0.87-$21.43 for facility-based RDT), 62% increase in testing following HCVST introduction, 65% linkage following HCVST, and 10% replacement of facility-based testing with HCVST based on HIV studies. Parameters were varied in sensitivity analysis. Cost per HCV viraemic diagnosis without HCVST ranged from $35 2019 US dollars (Viet Nam) to $361 (Kenya). With HCVST, diagnosis increased resulting in incremental cost per diagnosis of $104 in Viet Nam, $163 in Georgia, $587 in Kenya, and $2,647 in China. Differences were driven by HCVAb prevalence. Switching to blood-based HCVST ($2.25/test), increasing uptake of HCVST and linkage to facility-based care and NAT testing, or proceeding directly to NAT testing following HCVST, reduced the cost per diagnosis. The baseline incremental cost per cure was lowest in Georgia ($1,418), similar in Viet Nam ($2,033), and Kenya ($2,566), and highest in China ($4,956). HCVST increased the number of people tested, diagnosed, and cured, but at higher cost. Introducing HCVST is more cost-effective in populations with high prevalence.
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spelling doaj-art-26f415f3c54c42a491e754efe14b541f2025-08-20T03:25:47ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752023-01-0134e000166710.1371/journal.pgph.0001667Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.Josephine G WalkerElena IvanovaMuhammad S JamilJason J OngPhilippa EasterbrookEmmanuel FajardoCheryl Case JohnsonNiklas LuhmannFern Terris-PrestholtPeter VickermanSonjelle ShiltonGlobally, there are approximately 58 million people with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) but only 20% have been diagnosed. HCV self-testing (HCVST) could reach those who have never been tested and increase uptake of HCV testing services. We compared cost per HCV viraemic diagnosis or cure for HCVST versus facility-based HCV testing services. We used a decision analysis model with a one-year time horizon to examine the key drivers of economic cost per diagnosis or cure following the introduction of HCVST in China (men who have sex with men), Georgia (men 40-49 years), Viet Nam (people who inject drugs, PWID), and Kenya (PWID). HCV antibody (HCVAb) prevalence ranged from 1%-60% across settings. Model parameters in each setting were informed by HCV testing and treatment programmes, HIV self-testing programmes, and expert opinion. In the base case, we assume a reactive HCVST is followed by a facility-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and then nucleic acid testing (NAT). We assumed oral-fluid HCVST costs of $5.63/unit ($0.87-$21.43 for facility-based RDT), 62% increase in testing following HCVST introduction, 65% linkage following HCVST, and 10% replacement of facility-based testing with HCVST based on HIV studies. Parameters were varied in sensitivity analysis. Cost per HCV viraemic diagnosis without HCVST ranged from $35 2019 US dollars (Viet Nam) to $361 (Kenya). With HCVST, diagnosis increased resulting in incremental cost per diagnosis of $104 in Viet Nam, $163 in Georgia, $587 in Kenya, and $2,647 in China. Differences were driven by HCVAb prevalence. Switching to blood-based HCVST ($2.25/test), increasing uptake of HCVST and linkage to facility-based care and NAT testing, or proceeding directly to NAT testing following HCVST, reduced the cost per diagnosis. The baseline incremental cost per cure was lowest in Georgia ($1,418), similar in Viet Nam ($2,033), and Kenya ($2,566), and highest in China ($4,956). HCVST increased the number of people tested, diagnosed, and cured, but at higher cost. Introducing HCVST is more cost-effective in populations with high prevalence.https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0001667&type=printable
spellingShingle Josephine G Walker
Elena Ivanova
Muhammad S Jamil
Jason J Ong
Philippa Easterbrook
Emmanuel Fajardo
Cheryl Case Johnson
Niklas Luhmann
Fern Terris-Prestholt
Peter Vickerman
Sonjelle Shilton
Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.
PLOS Global Public Health
title Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.
title_full Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.
title_fullStr Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.
title_full_unstemmed Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.
title_short Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis C virus self-testing in four settings.
title_sort cost effectiveness of hepatitis c virus self testing in four settings
url https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0001667&type=printable
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