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

Maria Rubio-Valera, Judith Bosmans, Ana Fernández, Maite Peñarrubia-María, Marian March, Pere Travé, Juan A Bellón, Antoni Serrano-Blanco, Maria Rubio-Valera, Judith Bosmans, Ana Fernández, Maite Peñarrubia-María, Marian March, Pere Travé, Juan A Bellón, Antoni Serrano-Blanco

Abstract

Background: 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.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusion: 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.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00794196.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1. Flow-chart of the study.
Figure 1. Flow-chart of the study.
Figure 2. Cost-effectiveness plane for adherence with…
Figure 2. Cost-effectiveness plane for adherence with antidepressant therapy (pharmacist intervention vs usual care) and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves for adherence with antidepressant therapy, remission of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) and QALYs estimated using bootstrapping from the societal perspective.
The central white dot in the cost-effectiveness plane indicates the point estimate of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.

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