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March 07, 2023; 100 (10) Research Article

Economic Evaluation of the Community Benefit of the Australian Pregnancy Register of Antiseizure Medications

View ORCID ProfileZanfina Ademi, Clara Marquina, Piero Perucca, Alison Hitchcock, Janet Graham, Mervyn J. Eadie, Danny Liew, Terence J. O'Brien, View ORCID ProfileFrank J. Vajda
First published December 2, 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000201655
Zanfina Ademi
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Clara Marquina
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Piero Perucca
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Alison Hitchcock
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Janet Graham
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Mervyn J. Eadie
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Danny Liew
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Terence J. O'Brien
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Frank J. Vajda
From the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (Z.A., C.M.), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Z.A., D.L.), Department of Neuroscience (Z.A., P.P., T.J.O.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; Epilepsy Research Centre (P.P.), Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (P.P.), Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., T.J.O.B.), Alfred Health, Melbourne; Department of Neurology (P.P., A.H., J.G., T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Department of Medicine (M.J.E.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane; Adelaide Medical School (D.L.), University of Adelaide, South Australia; and Department of Medicine (The Royal Melbourne Hospital) (T.J.O.B., F.J.V.), The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Economic Evaluation of the Community Benefit of the Australian Pregnancy Register of Antiseizure Medications
Zanfina Ademi, Clara Marquina, Piero Perucca, Alison Hitchcock, Janet Graham, Mervyn J. Eadie, Danny Liew, Terence J. O'Brien, Frank J. Vajda
Neurology Mar 2023, 100 (10) e1028-e1037; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201655

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Abstract

Background and Objective The Raoul Wallenberg Australian Pregnancy Register (APR) was established to collect, analyze, and publish data on the risks to babies exposed to antiseizure medications (ASMs) and to facilitate quality improvements in management care over time. It is one of the seveal prospective observational pregnancy registers of ASMs that has been established around the world. Although the APR and other registries have contributed to knowledge gain that has been applied to decrease adverse pregnancy outcomes, their cost-effectiveness remains unknown. Here, we aimed to evaluate the economic impacts of the APR from both societal and health care system perspectives.

Methods Using decision analytic modeling, we estimated the effectiveness (prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes) and costs (costs of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the register itself) of the APR over a 20-year time horizon (2000–2019). The comparator was set as the adverse pregnancy outcomes collected by the APR between 1998 and 2002 (i.e., no APR derived improvements in care). In the scenario analysis, we conservatively assumed a 2.5% and 5% contribution of the APR to the savings in health care and societal costs. Adverse pregnancy outcomes included stillbirth, birth defects, and induced abortion. All cost data were derived from published sources. Health and economic outcomes were extrapolated to the total target Australian epilepsy population. The primary outcomes of interest were the return of investment (ROI) for the APR and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for cost per adverse outcome avoided.

Results Over the 20-year time horizon, the ROI from the APR from a societal perspective was Australian dollars (AUD) 2,250 (i.e., every dollar spent on the program resulted in a return of AUD2,250). Over this time, it was estimated that 9,609 adverse pregnancy outcomes were avoided, and health care and societal costs were reduced by AUD 191 million and AUD 9.0 billion, respectively. Hence, from a health economic point of view, the APR was dominant, providing cost saving ICERs from both perspectives.

Discussion Following its inception 20+ years ago, the APR has represented excellent value for investment for Australia, being also health-saving and cost saving from a societal and a health care perspective. With the growing number of marketed ASMs, the APR is expected to continue to have a major impact in the foreseeable future.

Glossary

APR=
Australian Pregnancy Register;
ASM=
antiseizure medication;
AUD=
Australian dollars;
ICER=
incremental cost-effectiveness ratio;
ROI=
return on investment;
VSLY=
value of a statistical life year

Footnotes

  • Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.

  • Submitted and externally peer reviewed. The handling editor was Barbara Jobst, MD, PhD, FAAN.

  • Received June 3, 2022.
  • Accepted in final form October 19, 2022.
  • © 2022 American Academy of Neurology
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