[Cost and quality aspects in the treatment of Parkinson's disease]

There is a debate on the control of direct costs in Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of the present review is to discuss the results of recent pharmacoeconomic trials on the cost effectiveness of the therapy of PD patients. Levodopa preparations appear to be cheaper as compared to dopamine agonists in the short term, but in the long run a treatment without dopamine agonists causes earlier onset of motor complications yielding an increase of direct and indirect costs and worse quality of life. However, these long-term aspects which include social aspects, have only partially been considered. In the end, medical and not financial aspects are essential. The Parkinsonian patient should benefit from the scientific progress in the treatment of PD. This will improve quality of life and at least decrease the indirect costs of PD on the long term.