[Economic evaluation of H. pylori eradication]

A review of economic evaluation studies of Helicobacter pylori eradication was performed. As a result of the high quality and quantity of data emerging, the eradication therapy for patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer was considered to be less costly and more effective than conventional therapy in a Japanese clinical setting. Furthermore, population-based Helicobacter pylori screening was seemed to have the potential to produce important health benefits at a reasonable cost, especially in Japan. Controlled studies are needed to quantify the impact of Helicobacter pylori eradication on the risk of gastric cancer to confirm it.