How much are patients willing to pay to avoid postoperative nausea and vomiting?

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common, distressing complications following anesthesia.
• Current antiemetic therapies lack complete efficacy, necessitating further research into patient preferences and economic value.
• Understanding patient willingness to pay (WTP) provides crucial data for cost-benefit analyses of new pharmacotherapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To hypothesize and assess patient willingness to pay for a hypothetical antiemetic drug that completely prevents PONV.
• To quantify the economic value patients associate with the avoidance of PONV symptoms.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 80 elective day surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia.
• Post-recovery, patients completed an interactive computer questionnaire assessing demographics, the importance of avoiding PONV, and WTP for a complete antiemetic.
• Statistical analysis identified independent covariates influencing WTP estimates.

Main Results:

• Patients were willing to pay a median of US$56 for an antiemetic that completely prevents PONV.
• Patients who experienced nausea (US$73) or vomiting (US$100) reported significantly higher WTP.
• Key factors influencing WTP included prior PONV history, perceived importance of avoidance, income, age, and marital status.

Conclusions:

• Patients place significant value on avoiding PONV and demonstrate a considerable willingness to pay for effective preventative treatments.
• The findings support the economic rationale for developing and investing in novel antiemetic pharmacotherapies.
• Quantifying patient-reported value is essential for comprehensive cost-benefit analyses in anesthesiology.