Applied pharmacoeconomics: evaluation and use of pharmacoeconomic data from the literature

The evaluation and use of published pharmacoeconomic data are discussed. The pharmacoeconomic literature is a vast and powerful source of information for pharmacists and others who must make decisions about services and products. Published studies can provide data quickly and inexpensively, but they may not necessarily meet criteria for quality and may not be generalizable to a specific situation. Guidelines are available that are intended to standardize study methods, minimize potential bias, and increase the comparability and credibility of data. Before relying on a published study, decision-makers should ensure that it meets criteria related to objective, perspective, pharmacoeconomic method, design, interventions, costs, outcomes, discounting, results, sensitivity analysis, extrapolation of conclusions, and sponsorship. A sound study can be used to support decisions in such diverse areas as individual patient treatment, formulary management, drug-use guideline development, disease management initiatives, and pharmaceutical service evaluation. A decision-maker may be able to use the results by applying them at face value, employing a sensitivity analysis, performing a meta-analysis, incorporating the data into a pharmacoeconomic model, or reproducing the study on a smaller scale. The selection of an application strategy should be based on the potential impact of the decision on the quality and cost of care, with more rigorous and complex strategies reserved for more extreme impacts. Published pharmacoeconomic data can help pharmacists make better and more informed decisions about pharmaceutical services and products.